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Rambles  About  Amherst 


EMl'.IlAClNii    AN 


IllsruKICAI,    AND    DKSC'RII'TIVE      SKKTCH    OF     I'lIK     lOWN,     Wnil    l.X  1' KACl'S 
FROM    AHE    WRITINGS    OF    JAMF.S    I'ARTON,    I'OINI'S    OF    INTKKF.ST 
IN    AND   ABOUT    AMHERST  ;  ALSO  nESC'RU'l'IONS  oK 
SOME   OF    I"HE    MANY    IN'IERKST- 
INC.    DRIVES. 


By  Willia:\[  1>.  Uotch. 


ir/r//  .v.-i/'  OF  THE  inainvAYs. 


AMHERST,  \.  ir. 

farmers'   CABINET    PRESS. 

1S90. 


LroRARY 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNL^ 

SANTA  BARBARA 


NOTE. 

Ill  pul)lisliiiig  this  little  sketch  I  have  not  aimed  at  re- 
cording history,  only  to  group  together  some  (»t'  the  inter- 
esting facts  which  pertain  to  Amherst  and  vicinity,  that 
they  may  ])e  more  readily  accessihle  to  the  stranger  and 
those  desirous  of  gaining  a  hetter  accjuaintance  with  the 
historic  tow^i.  The  preparation  and  printing  of  this  little 
volume  has  occupied  only  such  time  as  I  could  sjtare  from 
my  regular  work,  which  will,  in  part,  peihaps.  account  for 
its  fragmentary  appearance. 

The  greatest  compensation  wiiich  I  expect  to  recei\e  for 
the  labor  and  expense  involved,  has  heen  already  attained, 
in  the  satisfatttion  of  a  better  ac(]uaiMtance  ^\  ith  my  iiati\e 
town  and  an  increased  lo\c  t'oi-  lier  •■dells  and  hills,  her 
rooks  and  rills." 

Hoping  that  those  who  could  have  done  this  work  so 
much  better  will  be  kind  in  their  critiiisms.  I  am 

Respectfully  Youi-s, 

W.   I  J.  K()T(  iL 


Rambles  About  Amherst  : 


(^HAPTER  I. 


HISTORICAL 


Amherst  (SouhegiUi  West  )  wa^s  early  the  home  of  the 
Narragansett  tribe  of  Indians.  The  original  grant  fiom 
the  Massachusetts  General  Court  to  the  early  settlers  in- 
cluded the  townships  of  Milford  and  Mont  Vernan,  and  a 
portion  of  Merrimack.  It  was  incorpoiated  as  a  town  on 
the  18th  of  January,  1760,  and  one  of  the  early  mcorporated 
towns  in  New  Hampshire.  It  receiA^ed  its  name  from  Gen- 
eral Jaffrey  Amherst,  Connnander  of  the  British  forces  in 
North  America. 

Early  written  history  records  the  many  hardships  under- 
gone hy  these  settlers  in  sulnluing  the  elements,  laying  low 
the  giants  of  the  forest  and  making  the  land  liahital>U\ 


6  KAMBLEH    ABOUT   AMHERST. 

In  1794,  tlie  inhabitants  of  that  part  of  Amherst  known 
SIS  the  "South  West  Parish,"  having  increased  to  such  prf> 
portions  as  wouki  seem  to  w.irrant  it,  petitioned  to  the 
(xeneral  Court  to  be  (hsconnected  from  the  township  of 
Amhei-st,  and  incorporated  as  the  town  of  Milford,  whicli 
request  was  granted,  inchiding  a  tract  of  land  from  the 
township  of  Hollis. 

In  1803,  the  "Second  Parish,"  located  upon  the  elevation 
northwesterly  of  Amherst,  petitioned  to  the  General  Court 
to  be  set  ott"  as  a  separate  townsliip,  which  request,  as  in 
the  previous  instance  was  granted,  and  the  town  of  Mont 
Vernon  was  incoi-porated. 

For  fifty  years  following  the  disconnection  of  these  two 
towns  Amherst  was  in  the  hey-day  of  its  prosperity,  and 
by  far  the  most  important  place  in  this  section  of  the  State. 
It  was  the  shire  town  and  all  of  the  courts  were 
held  here,  and  many  public  gatherings  of  much  importance. 
The  largest  population  Amherst  ever  had  was  before  the 
town  was  divided.  The  census  of  1790  shew  a  population 
of  2,396.  In  1820  the  inhabitants  numbered  1,622.  The 
village  contained  about  60  dwellings,  a  meeting  -  house, 
school  1  louse,  two  taverns,  court  house,  jail,  printing-office, 
card  factory  and  five  stores  ;  also  two  law  offices. 

In  those  "good  old  times"  often  i-eferred  to  by  the  gi"ey 
whLskered  residents,  Amherst  did  not  have  its  present  quiet, 
sleepy  appearance  of  a  "deserted  village."  lire  frequent  ses- 
sions of  the  court,  the  annual  m\ister  and  trainings,  the  great 
amount  of  travel  to  and  fro  over  the  turnpike,  and  its  being 
the  mailing  point  to  all  the  surrounding  country,  served  to 


TvAMIU.KS    AHOl'T    AMHKKST.  I 

make  Amliei.st  almsinesvS  ceutie  iuul  busy  [dace,  liiit  these 
iliiys  are  past.  The  rapid y;io\vth  of  surroiiiKliiio-  towns  with 
•available  water  privileges  and  better  railroad  facilities  have 
drawn  upon  its  vitality  and  greatly  detracted  from  its  busi- 
ness importance.  The  courts  are  no  huiger  held  here,  and 
the  county  otfiees  are  now  at  Nashua.  Aside  from  the  gen- 
eral aspect  of  neatness  every  where  noticeal)le,  we  have  little 
evidence  of  tiie  thiift  whicjj  once  abounded  hei-e. 


MAP  OF  HIGHWAYS  IN  AMHERST  AND  VICIMTV. 


CHAPTER  II. 


DESCRIPTIVE. 


Amherst,  in  the  County  of  Hillsl)()i(>iigh,  is  48  miles 
northwest  of  Boston,  11  miles  northwest  of  Niushua  and  12 
miles  southwest  of  Manchester.  It  is  located  on  the  Boston 
and  LoAvell  division  of  the  Boston  and  Maine  Railroad,  and 
one  hour  and  forty-eight  minutes'  ride  from  Boston.  Pas- 
sengers taking  the  cars  at  the  old  Boston  and  Lowell  pas- 
senger station  on  Causeway  street,  find  the  ride  to  Amherst 
a  most  delightful  one  and  the  time  passes  altogether  too 
(juickly.  From  Lowell  to  Nashua  the  train  skirts  along 
the  banks  of  the  Meriimack  river,  of  which  most  delightful 
views  can  be  had,  and  now  and  then  glimpses  of  mountains 
and  hills  in  the  distance.  Arriving  at  Amherst-statif)n  ac- 
commodations are  found  to  convey  passengers  in  either  direc- 
tion— to  Hotel  Ponemah,  located  one  mile  south,  or  to  the 
village,  three  miles  to  the  north.  Reaching  the  village, 
stables  will  be  found  Avell  equi])ped  with  conveniences  for 
canying  passengers  or  parties  to  houses  located  at  a  distance 


10  RAMBLES    ABOUT   AMHERST. 

or  to  points  of  interest,  in  and  about  the  town.  Amherst 
village,  which  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  in  the  state,  is 
located  upon  a  plain  of  about  one  half  mile  in  extent,  sur- 
rounded by  hills,  and  is  thought  by  many  to  have  once 
been  the  bed  of  a  Like,  whose  waters  found  an  outlet 
through  Beaver  Brook,  now  familiarly  known  as  "Quoquin- 
napassakessananagnog,"  the  name  given  by  the  Indians  to 
the  lands  about  the  mouth  of  that  brook,  three  miles  below 
the  village. 

The  village  is  at  once  noticeable  for  its  clean,  whole- 
.some  and  well  kept  appearance  ;  is  comprised  of  about  130 
dwellings,  each  one  of  which  shows  evidence  of  local  pride 
in  its  owner  in  making  its  outward  appearance  pleasant  to 
the  eye.  The  streets  are  broad  with  sidewalks,  lined  with 
shade  trees,  whose  over-reaching  branches  and  thick  foliage 
form  almost  a  canopy,  and  under  whose  cool  shade  in  the 
hot  summer  days  it  is  a  delight  to  stroll.  The  soil  of  the 
"•plain"  is  a  sandy  loam,  of  not  such  strength  as  to  insure 
large  returns  from  the  efforts  of  gardening,  but  of  sufficient 
firmness  to  support  a  thick  mat  of  grass  which  everywhere 
softens  the  landscape  and  rests  the  eye.  In  the  village  a 
large  tract  of  land  has  been  neatly  fenced  in  for  a  public 
common,  and  thickly  set  with  maple  and  elm  trees,  which 
promise  in  the  near  future  to  make  this  locality  a  very  pop- 
ular lesort.  Rising  from  the  centre  of  this  common  is  a  flag 
staff  of  very  graceful  proportions. 

In  addition,  the  village  has  three  churches,  handsome 
brick  school  house,  ample  and  commodious  town  hall,  which 
furnishes  accommodations  for  the  different  orders  and  the 


KAMBLES   ABOUT   AMHERST.  11 

public  library,  chapel,  engine  house,  kit  factory,  saw  and 
grist  mill  and  one  planincr  mill,  printing  offiice,  besides 
five  stores  and  a  harness-shop.  There  is  no  pul>lic  house 
in  the  village  at  present,  tire  (lestrf»ying  in  187()  the  coni- 
niodious  hotel  ]>uilt  by  the  citizens  and  which  during  its 
brief  existence  was  the  pride  of  the  town.  The  way-farei" 
has  no  trouble,  however,  in  finding  desirable  accommodations 
under  the  hospitable  roofs  of  the  several  piivate  houses 
whose  proprietors  open  their  doors  to  unobjectionable 
persons.  A  soldiers'  monument  graces  a  central  jjoint  in  tlie 
village,  and  attests  to  the  sjicredness  with  which  the  citizens 
hold  in  memory  the  deeds  of  the  soldiers  in  the  late  war. 
There  are  other  points  of  interest  in  the  village,  not  the 
least  among  which  is  the  old  burying  ground  near  the  town 
house,  the  old  jail,  long  out  of  use,  of  which  we  shall  sjiy 
more  later. 

From  the  hills  which  surround  the  village  charming  and 
extensive  views  of  the  surrounding  country  can  l)e  had. 
"Chestnut  Hills"  to  the  north  is  the  highest  i»rominence ; 
"Christian  Hill"  in  the  west,  so  named  from  the  number  of 
active  church  members  and  officei-s  it  has  furnished  in  past 
•lays  ;  "David's  Hill"  in  tlie  south,  up  which  winds  an  en- 
chanting lane,  is  well  worthy  a  climli,  in  repay  for  wliich  a 
beautiful  view  of  the  village  may  be  had,  nestling  down  in 
its  quiet  repose  among  the  trees  below,  the  church  spires 
only  rising  above  their  tops,  and  the  white  houses  hardly 
visible  through  the  dense  foliage.  "Walnut  Hill"  in  the 
east  is  noticeable  from  all  points  for  its  symmetrii;al  i)roiM»r- 
tions.      From  either  of  these  elevations  named,  high  moun- 


12  RAMBLES    ABOUT    AMHERST. 

tains  in  the  distance  appear  to  one's  gaze,  which,  with  the 
intervening  valleys,  furnish  a  panoramic  scene  of  rare 
e  xte nt,  bea  uty  and  granduer.  Before  contmuing  this  sketch 
and  describing  the  character  of  the  country  adjacent 
to  the  village,  with  its  attractive  drives  and  many  points 
of  interest  and  note,  1  will  give  place  to  the  graphic  dis- 
cription  of  James  Parton,  Horace  Greeley's  biographer,  who, 
in  the  interest  of  his  friend  and  patron,  once  visited  this 
town  and  the  early  home  of  Greeley.  With  a  little  change 
his  words  would  be  as  applicable  to-daj"  as  at  the  time  they 
were  written,  many  years  ago  : — 

"The  village  of  Amherst  is  a  pleasant  place.  Seen  from 
the  summit  of  a  distant  hill,  it  is  a  white  dot  in  the  middle 
of  a  level  plain,  encircled  by  cultivated  and  gently  sloping 
hills.  On  a  near  approach  the  traveller  perceiv  ^,s  that  it  is 
a  cluster  of  white  houses,  looking  as  if  they  had  alighted 
among  the  trees  and  might  take  wing  again.  On  enter- 
ing it  he  finds  himself  in  a  veiy  pretty  village,  built  round 
an  ample  green,  and  shaded  by  lofty  trees.  It  contains  three 
churches,  a  printing  office,  a  court  house,  a  jail,  a  half  dozen 
stores,  an  exceedingly  minute  watch  maker's  shop  and  a 
hundred  private  houses.  There  is  not  a  human  Ijeing  to  be 
seen,  not  a  sound  to  be  heard,  except  the  twittering  of  the 
})irds  overhead,  and  the  distant  whistle  of  a  locomotive, 
which  in  those  remote  regions  serves  to  make  the  silence 
audible.  The  utter  silence  and  deserted  aspect  of  the  older 
villages  in  New  England  are  remarkable.  In  the  morning 
and  evening  there  is  some  appearance  of  life  in  Amherst  ; 
biit  in  the  hours  of  the  day,  when  the  men  are  at  work,  the 


i:ami',m:s  .vr.oiT  amuekst. 


18 


women  ])usy  witli  tlu'ir  lioiisehold  affairs,  and  tlu'  cliildieii 
at  sL-liool,  tlie  visitor  ma}'  sit  at  the  window  of  the  village 
tavern  for  an  hour  at  a  time  and  not  see  a  living-  creitture. 
Occasionally  a  pedler,  with  sleigh  Ijellsiound  liis  horse,  goes 


B1RTHPLA(^E    OF    HORACE    (illEELEY. 

Founder  of  the  X.  V.    Trilninc. 

jingling  hy.  Occasionally  a  farmer's  wagon  drive's  up  to  one 
of  the  stores.  Occasionally  a  stage,  rocking  in  its  leather 
suspenders,  stops  at  the  post  office  for  a  inoment.  and  tlien 


14  RAMBLES    ABOUT   AMHERST. 

rocks  away  again.  -Occasionally  a  doctor  passes  in  a  very 
antiqnated  gig.  Occasionally  a  cock  crows,  as  though  it 
was  tired  of  the  dead  silence.  A  New  York  village,  a  quar- 
ter the  size  and  wealth  of  Amherst,  makes  twice  its  n(jise 
and  bustle.  Forty  years  ago,  however,  when  Horace  Gree- 
ley iLsed  to  cimie  to  the  stores  there,  it  wa>  a  })!ace  of  some- 
what more  importance  and  more  business  than  it  is  now, 
for  Manchester  and  Nashua  have  absorbed  many  of  the  lit- 
tle streams  of  traffic  which  used  to  flow  toward  the  county 
town.  It  is  a  curious  evidence  of  the  stationary  character 
of  the  place,  that  the  village  paper  which  had  fifteen  hundred 
sidxscribers  when  Hoiuce  Greeley  was  three  years  old,  and 
learned  to  read  fr(mi  it,  has  fifteen  hundred  subscribers  and 
no  more  at  this  moment.  It  bears  the  same  name  it  did 
tlien,  is  publislied  by  the  same  person,  and  adheres  to  the 
same  party." 

The  towjishi[)  of  Amherst  contains  about  eight  sc^uare 
miles  of  better  land  than  the  average  land  of  New  England. 
Wheat  cannot  l)e  grown  on  it  to  advantage,  but  it  yields 
fair  returns  of  rye,  oats,  potatoes,  Indian  corn,  and  young 
men  ;  the  last  named  of  which  commodities  forms  the  chief 
article  of  export.  The  farmers  have  to  contend  with  hills, 
rocks,  stones  imiumerable,  sand,  marsh  and  long  winters; 
but  a  hundred  years  of  tillage  have  subdued  these  obstacles 
in  part,  and  the  peo])le  generally  enjoy  a.  safe  and  moderate 
prosperity.  Yet,  severe  is  their  toil.  To  see  them  plough- 
ing along  the  sides  of  those  steep  rocky  hills,  the  plough 
creaking,    the  oxen   groaning,    the  little  boy  driver  lea[)ing 


ItAMULES    AI'.OIT    AMHEUST.  1 0 

fioin  sod  to  sod,  as  an  Alpine  boy  is  supposed  to  leap  froiu 
crag  to  crag,  the  plouglinian  wrenching  the  plough  round 
the  rocks,  hoy  and  man  every  riinute  or  two  uniting  in  a 
])rolonged*a;id  agonizing  yell  for  the  panting  beasts  to  stop, 
when  the  [)lougli  is  caught  l)y  a  hidden  rock  too  large  for  it 
to  overturn,  and  the  solenni  slowness  with  which  the  })i-o- 
cession  winds,  creaks  and  "Toans  alono-,  o-ives  the  lano-uid 
citizen,  who  chances  to  pass  by,  a  new  idea  of  hard  work, 
and  a  new  sense  of  the  happiness  of  his  lot.  " 

If  Mr.  Parton  sliould  revisit  Amherst  to-day,  he  would 
see  little  change  in  the  general  appearance  of  the  place. 
Time  has  worked  great  changes  in  the  people.  Thirty  years 
have  wrought  changes  in  nearly  every  household.  They 
have  also  brought  about  changes  in  the  mode  of  operating 
the  farms.  In  })laee  of  the  slow  moving  ox  teams  he 
would  tind  a  pair  of  hoi'ses  drawing  a  sulky  plow,  and 
other  inipi'oved  machinery  lessening  the  hardships  of 
the  farmer's  life.  ( )ur  farmers  have  not  been  slow  in  adopt- 
ing improved  metliods  of  tilling  the  soil,  and  we  believe 
that  the  [jecuniary  returns  from  their  labor  is  more  satisfac- 
tory than  formerly.  The  raising  of  cereals  and  potatoes 
for  the  market,  in  large  quantities,  has  been  superseded  by 
butter  making  and  milk  producing,  and  the  large  intervale 
farms  are  now  nearly  entirely  given  to  the  latter  industry, 
a  ready  market  being  found  for  milk  at  the  R.  K.  station, 
\\liere  it  is  daily  collected  and  thence  transported  to  Boston. 

Lakes  and  Streams.  —  Babboosic  lake,  so  named  by 
the  Indians  once  dwelling  upon  its  shores,  is  located  about 


1(5 


KAMBLES    ABOUT    AMHERST. 


three  miles  north  easterly  of  the  village  ;  it  abounds  in  lish. 
l^ittle  Babhoosic  pond  is  connected  with  the  lake  of  larger 
size  by  a  small  brook.  Jo  English  pond  is  located  partly 
in  Amherst,  Mt.  Vernon,  and  New  Boston.     Damon's  pond. 


S(  )LDI  EK  S    yU  )N  r.M ENT. 

ERF-CTED    IN    1 87 1. 


a  small  sheet  of  watei',  is  located  in  the  north  east  part  of 
the  town  and  Stearns's  pond  or  more  faniiharly  known  as 
''Honey  Pot  [)on(r'  is  situated  in  the  south  part  of  the  town. 
All  of  th('>('  ponds  contain  Hslito  gTeater  or  les>  extent,  but 


GAMBLES    ABOUT   AMHERST.  17 

none  of  them,  with  the  exception    of  Bahboosic,  have  ever 
been  stocked  with  fry. 

Souhegan  river  crosses  the  southerly  portion  of  tlie  town. 
and  is  spanned  by  two  carriage  bridges.  Into  it  flows 
Beaver  Brook,  which  traverses  the  whole  length  of  the  town, 
starting  on  its  course  in  Mont  Vernon.  Babboosic  brook 
start-^  from  Jo  English  pond,  rvnis  through  the  northerly 
part  of  Andierst,  through  Bedford,  and  empties  into  the 
ScnUiegan  river  at  Merrimack.  In  the  trout  season  these 
brooks  furnish  good  fishing  ground.  (xranite  abounds^ 
and  (juarries  are  operated,  which  yield  a  very  fine  quality 
of  stone.  Limestone  has  been  found  in  some  parts  of  the 
town,  and  iron  ore  exists  in  small  quantities.  Some  rare 
minerals  and  crystals  have  been  found  near  the  Bedford 
line,  but  are  not  so  plenty  as  to  attract  many  searchers. 
White  pine  is  the  principal  timber  growth.  Chestnut  trees 
abound  and  when  loaded  with  nuts,  a  sharp  rivalry  oc- 
curs between  the  small  boy  and  the  squirrel  to  see  who 
shall  gather  the  most.  Oak,  somewhat  rare  in  other  sec- 
tions, grows  a])undantly  here,  (xame  is  iiot  as  plenty  as 
in  former  times,  yet  the  skilful  hunter  will  not  lack  for 
sport  in  hunting  the  grey  squirrel,  and  partridge  in  their 
season.  Coons  are  also  found  in  the  swamps  and  on  the 
mountains. 

A  mineral  spring  in  the  east  part  of  the  town,  about  two 
miles  from  the  village,  has  some  renown  for  its  medicinal 
I)roperties.  Also  a  spring  located  near  the  highway  from 
Amherst  to  Mont  Vernon,  is  noticeable  for  the  large  amount 
of  soda  the  water  contains.     There  are  many  other  points 


18 


RAMBL?:.S    ABOUT   AMHEItST. 


which  will  a[)i)eil  to  the  visitor  with  equal  interest  as  those- 
already  named. 


"'%te*^<^^ 


Wfi. 


-^^,^«vv%^. 


^vrX^'lffc, 


COXGEEG ATIONAL   CH  UBCH. 


Amherst  is  emphatically  a  field  for  artists,  abounding  in 
those  little  'd)its"  of  natural  beauty,  of  wooded  drives, 
shady  nooks  and  cool  retreats,  which  relieve  the  monotony 
i>f  a  less  l)roken  country.       Whoever  brings  a  camera  here 


RAMBLES    AHOUT    A.MIIKKST. 


19 


has  IK)  difficulty  in  tindino'  the  desired  opportunity  t'oi'  the 
exercise  of  his  art.  Almost  everything  desired  by  the 
artist  can  be  found.  The  hay-maker  in  the  field,  the  l)oat 
upon  the  lake,  the  cows  grazing  upon  the  liills,  winding 
road-ways,  lights  and  shadows  through  the  trees,  deep 
glens,  rustic  scenes  and  expansive  views,  can  all  l)e  ol)tain- 
ed  with  but  comparatively  little  effort. 

Again,  the  intense  quiet  of  the  place  and  the  unobtrusive- 
ness  of  its  inhabitants  make  it  a  spot  most  desirable  for 
those  seeking  complete  rest  from  business  cares  and  anx- 
iety ;  while  its  mail  and  telephone  connections  with  the  out- 
side world  help  the  business  man  to  feel  that  he  has  "•  an 
eye  on  his  business,  "  while  recnuting  his  bodily  strength 
upon  its  pure  atmosphere,  and  dieting  upon  fresh  butter, 
milk  and  cream.  It  is  a  noticeable  fact  that  those  who  once 
visit  Amherst  return  again.  Each  recurring  season  finds 
among  the  new  faces  here,  familiar  ones,  and  the  periodical 
return  of  some  of  our  summer  visitors  is  as  regular  as  the 
the  movements  of  the  birds  who  return  each  spring  to  the 
nests  they  deserted  in  the  fall. 

The  well  kept  road-beds,  make  driving  a  })leasure.  The 
opportunities  for  boating  and  fishing,  et(;.,  liave  given  the 
town  an  increasing  prominence  among  the  sunnner  resorts 
of  the  Granite  State.  The  well  kept  boarding  houses  have 
accomodations  for  a  large  number  of  guests,  but  each  season 
finds  their  capacity  tested  to  the  fullest  extent. 

Common  P'l()Wp:i{.s. — Flora  has  been  lavish  in  her  gifts 
here.     From  earliest  Spring  to  latest  Fall,   woodland  beau- 


20  RAMBLES    ABOUT   AMHERST. 

ties  abound.  First  after  the  soft  mouse  -  tinted  and  pollen- 
tipped  pussy  willows  prophesy  the  coming  of  the  "merrie 
month  of  Male,"  we  tuid  the  delicate  hued  hepaticas,  pur- 
ple violets  and  white  Cornell.  Almost  simultaneously  with 
these,  that  universal  favorite  of  New  England,  the  pale, 
pink  and  white  arbutus,  sweet  scented  and  shy,  hiding  it- 
self under  gray  rock  and  In'OAvn  leaves,  creeping  and  nest- 
ling lovingly  into  beds  of  moss  and  twining  evergreen, — a 
"Avee,  modest,  crimson-tippit  flower."  Side->addle  or  pitch- 
er plant  then  reddens  in  the  held,  twin  flowers  and  inno- 
cence, that  associate  themselves  with  designs  on  the  fine, 
soft  lawns  our  grandmothers  AA'ore,  peep  up.  (Tradually 
over  the  laown  earth  and  l)are  branches  a  green  mist  ap- 
jjears.  then,  with  a  rush,  the  world  about  us  is  a  maze  of 
bloom  and  the  air  is  full  of  Easter  incense.  Wild  cherry, 
dogwood,  l)lackberry  fields,  peach  and  apple  orchards  dress 
themselves  in  liridal  garments  of  l)lushing  pink  and  purest 
white.  The  sweet  breath  of  the  passing  breeze  dallies 
among  the  branches,  sending  bewildering  whirls  of  drifting 
snow  out  into  tlie  warm  June  days.  It  is  the  romance  and 
dream  of  the  year— enchanting,  fair  and  sweet. 

Then  follows  the  joy  of  graduates,  when  in  great  picnic 
carts  they  go  in  merry  groups  to  gather  tlie  mountain  lau- 
rel, great  mounds  of  rosy  bloom,  whose  warm  blushes  re- 
calls the  classical  legend  concerning  it.  Sturdy,  unap- 
preciated clover,  red,  white  and  yellow  :  oxeyed  daisies, 
l)lack-eyed-Susans,  Avild  roses,  yellow  butter  -  cups  and 
plume  -  like  ferns  star  tlie  grasses  and  lieautify  field  and 
roadside.     Then  the  chestnuts  drop  their  bunches  of  strung 


KAMr.LKS    AI'.olT    AMHKUST.  21 

pearls  and  we  feel  that  the  spring  hh)()ming  is  over.  The 
trees  grow  darker,  the  foliage  more  dense  and  the  shadows 
in  the  wood  deepen.  August  brings  the  clematis,  fairy 
meadow  rue  and  swinging  blue  bell,  the  feathery  golden  rod, 
swa_ying  pink  bean,  giradias  and  quantities  of  heavy  cluster- 
ing buck  bean.  September  ushers  in  whole  families  of 
starworts.  The  corn,  that  through  the  summer  time  tilted 
its  shining  green  lances  at  us,  ripens  now  to  yellow,  and  the 
arnicas  try  to  cheat  us  into  l)elief  of  returning  spring  by 
their  imitation  of  d-indeli(^ns.  The  air  is  fragrant  with  the 
winey  odor  of  ripening  gi'a})es.  October,  with  magic  wand, 
turns  the  bunch  -  berries,  alders  and  wax-work  scarlet 
and  orange.  The  forests  are  rich  in  red,  russet,  green, 
yellow  and  brown.  Down  in  the  meadow  l)lue  gentians 
are  found.  November  comes  and  the  woods  are  alight  with 
the  ghostly  witchery  of  the  pale  hazel  bloom.  There  is  a 
bursting  of  pods  and  rattling  of  seeds  on  the  dead  leaves, 
and  December  steps  in  and  throws  his  fleecy  blanket  over 
them  and  shows  with  it,  for  background,  the  delicate  vases 
tliat  held  tlie  seeds  with  their  own  peculiar  beauty. 


CHAPTER  in. 


PEKSONAL 


New  Htini[).shire  i-s  renowned  for  the  sturdy  character 
of  the  men  it  rears.  The  boys  of  the  Granite  Hills  inhal)it 
every  State  in  the  Union,  lending  their  bone  and  mnscle 
to  the  development  of  new  territories,  as  well  as  filling 
[)Ositions  of  honor  and  prominence  in  the  older  States. 
Amherst  has  furnished  its  full  quota  of  young  men  to  this 
great  regiment,  and  there  is  projjably  not  a  city  in  the 
States  l)ut  what  has  drawn  u})on  its  life  and  partaken  of  its 
vitality. 

Perhaps  no  other  one  of  Amherst's  sons  ever  gained 
such  fame  in  the  world  as  Horace  Greeley  ;  perhaps  none 
otlier  was  entitled  to  such  eminence  ;  certainly  none  other 
ever  was  Ijefore  the.  country  as  candidate  for  President. 
But  others  have  gone  out  from  Amherst  wdiose  influence 
lias  lieen  felt  throusrhout  the  length  and  breadth  of  the 
land.  'I'o  name  all  those,  who,  though  perhaps  not  born 
within  our  territorial  lines,  yet,  spent  the  years  here  which 
shaped  their  course  through  life,  would  be  a  task  of  too 
great  niagnitude  for  us  at  this  time,  yet  we  cannot  pass 
over  this  uTound  without  recallino-  a  few  familiar  names. 


ra:mbles  ap.out  a^fherst.  28 

There  are  none  left  who  remember  William  IJigelow. 
who  was  the  first  editor  of  the  Village  Messengek,  and 
afterward  had  charg^e  of  the  Boston  Latin  School.  Amonjr 
the  pupils  of  this  distinguished  teacher  was  Edward  Ever- 
ett. 

Eor  many  years  tlie  name  of  Atlierton  was  synonymous 
with  Amherst.  Joshua  Atherton  was  the  first  of  that  name 
to  settle  here.  He  was  an  able  lawyer  and  for  several 
years  the  State's  Attorney  General.  His  son,  the  Hon.  Chas. 
H.  Atherton,  was  also  a  lawyer  of  much  note,  once  a  Rep- 
presentative  in  Congress,  and  his  son  Chas.  G.  Atherton 
another  lawyer  of  prominence  and  U.  S.  Senator. 

Captain  Eli  Brown,  in  early  life  a  resident  of  Andierst, 
afterw^ards  was  in  charge  of  the  fleet  of  gunboats  on  the 
coast  of  New  England. 

Joseph  Cushing  started  the  })ublieation  of  the  Eailmeks" 
Cabinet  in  1802,  built  the  large  brick  building  afterwards 
known  as ''Cashing's  Folly."  Sold  Cabinet  in  1809  to 
Hicliard  Boylston,  and  removed  to  Baltimore. 

Dr.  John  Farmer,  a  histoi'ian  of  note,  spent  the  eai'ly 
years  of  his  life  here. 

Prof.  James  Freeman  Dana  was  a  ])rofessor  of  chemist rv 
at  Dartmouth  College. 

Dr.  Samuel  L.  Dana,  his  brothei'  was  also  noted  as  a 
scientist. 

Gen.  Jose[)h  Low  was  noted  far  and  wide  as  a  niiliiaiv 
character.     He  was  once  Mayor  of  Concord. 

Col.  Robert  Means,  was  treasurer  of  the  Countvfor  years 


:24  RAMBLES   ABOUT   AMHEKST. 

and  was  a  meinl)er  of  the  Senate  and  Council. 

David  Mc(t.  Means  was  a  very  successful  l)usiness  man. 

Isaac  Spalding  and  Robert  Read  were  prominent  mer- 
chants here,  and  the  former  afterwards  at  Nashua.  By 
his  will  he  bequeathed  a  legacy  of  ten  thousand  dollars 
to  tlie  town,  for  school  purposes,  to  l)e  paid  on  the  decease 
of  his  widow. 

Among  the  early  pastors  of  the  parisli  church  here,  wa> 
Rev.  Nathau  Lord,  D.  D.,  L.  L.  D.  ;  he  resided  in  the  house 
now  owned  and  occupied  by  Mr.  John  G.  Peacock,  on  the 
turnpike  leading  from  Amherst  to  Mt.  Vernon.  He  was 
called  from  his  ministry  to  the  Presidency  of  Dartmouth 
College,  which  position  he  aeceptal)ly  filled  for  over  thirty 
years. 

The  pastor  to  succeed  Rev.  Mr.  Lord,  was  Rev.  Silas 
Aiken.  He  was  called  from  his  work  here  to  the  pulpit  of 
Park  St.  church,  Boston,  which  position  he  held  for  twelve 
years  and  then  removed  to  Vermont. 

The  foregoing  is  but  a  fragmentary  list  of  the  names  of 
some  of  our  most  honored  citizens,  all  of  whom  have  now 
passed  to  their  reward. 

Those  which  a  younger  generation  will  more  quickly  as- 
sociate with  Amherst,  perhaps,  are  Campbell,  Dodge,  Hap- 
good,  Lawrence,  Eaton,  Davis,  David,  Abbott,  Hartshorn, 
Melendy.  lioylston,  Secomlje,  Clark,  and  many  others, 
whf)se  names  will  occur  as  readil}'  to  the  reader  as  to  the 
wi'iter.  But  enough  have  here  been  recalled  to  make  the 
sons  of  Amherst  feel  proud  of  their  ancestry. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


POINTS    OF    IXTEIJKST 


Lake  BabboOSic.  This  beautiful  sheet  o\'  water  i> 
situated  two  and  one-half  miles  easteii}'  of  the  villag-e  of 
Audierst.  Is  accessible  from  all  directions  })y  carriage  roads. 
The  Pond  covers  an  area  of  about  three  luindred  and 
eighty  acres,  and  the  water  varies  in  depth  to  about  thirty 
feet.  Its  greatest  length  is  two  miles  and  its  greatest 
breadth  one  mile.  It  has  long  been  a  favorite  resort  for 
l)oatingand  fishing,  and  is  nnich  visited  by  pleasure  parties 
and  its  worthy  fame  is  every  year  extending.  About  ten 
years  ago  it  was  stocked  with  black  bass  by  the  State  Board 
<»f  Fish  Commissioners,  and  tine  specimens  are  now  captur- 
ed every  season.  The  waters  being  fresh  and  not  a  slug- 
gish pond,  the  bass  are  full  of  game,  varying  in  size  from 
one  to  five  and  six  pounds.  Other  fish  sucli  as  perch, 
abound.  Poats  for  fishing  or  rowing  can  be  had  at  different 
points  along  the  shore.  At  the  east  side  of  the  lake 
is   a   fine   grove   of  pines,  underneath  whose   shade,   seats, 


2B 


[;AMP,LKS    AHOl'T    AMHEi:ST. 


swinnfs,  a  IkukI  stand  and  i)lattoi'ni  for  dancino'  have  been 
hnilt  ))y  ^Ii'.  Colston,  tlie  present  proprietor  of  the  Bab- 
boosie  House,  wliich  is  located  a  short  walk  l)ack  from  the 
shore,  upon  a  prominence  overlooking-  the  lake.  New 
Hamp.^hire  has  many  jewels  in  her  crown  of  natural  l)eauty, 
but  few  are  brighter,  fairer  or  more  beautiful,  thin  Lake 
liabboosic. 


?w; 


Present  Town  House,  (  Foumkk  coniT  House.) 

'I'liis  l)uihlin'>   was   originally   erected   for   the    use    of   the 


RAMIU.KS    AI'.OIT    AMUKKST.  Z  ( 

county  ^Courts,  which  at  the  time  were  all  here.  Ahiiiy 
exeitiug  scenes  have  transpired  ^-ithin  its  historic  A\alls, 
and  many  distinguished  jurists  have  here  made  [ileas  which 
have  helped  them  on  the  road  t<t  tame  and  fortune.  It  was 
n(tt  in  this  huilding,  as  is  quite  generally,  but  erroneously 
reported,  that  Daniel  Webster,  made  his  maiden  argument, 
before  Judge  Farrar,  but  in  the  former  couit  house,  which 
stood  just  in  front  of  the  site  of  the  dwelling  of  the  late 
David  liussell.  This  second  court  house,  where  the  giants 
of  the  legal  profession,  including  Webster,  were  wont  to 
assemble,  is  still  standing,  near  the  old  foundry  Ijuilding, 
occupied  as  a  double  tenement  dwelling  house.  When 
the  county  ofidces  and  courts  were  removed  from  Andiersi 
the  building  reverted  to  the  town,  since  which  time  repairs 
and  enlargements  have  been  made,  until  now  it  is  one  of 
the  most  convenient  and  best  appointed  town  houses  in  the 
county.  The  stage  was  lately  enlarged,  and  a  nice  set  of 
scenery  donated  to  the  town  l)y  Oscar  Shaffer.  It  has  a 
connnodious  upper  and  lower  hall,  a  tire  proof  vault,  lobby, 
and  is  the  repository  of  the  town  library. 

The  Old  Jail,  ^^^  it  i'^^  famiUarly  and  rightly  call- 
ed, having  been  long  out  of  use,  is  a  place  of  some  interest 
to  those  visiting  Amherst  village.  The  first  jail  built  here 
was  the  west  end  of  the  frame  building  connected  with  the 
stone  structure  now  standing,  and  l)uilt  of  heavy  oak  logs, 
erected  about  1770,  and  the  first  stone  building  ab(mt  1810. 
It  formerly  had  a  high  brick  wall  around  it.  Some  noted 
criminals   have   been   confined  in  this  old  Itnilding.      From 


28 


liAMBLES    AHOUT    A.MHEIiST. 


one  of  its  cells,  Farmer   the  murderer,   rode  to  tlie  scaffold, 
erected  near  tlie  residence  of  the  late  I>.  B.  David. 

Soldiers'  Monument.  'l^lie  monument  which  graces 
a  central  spot  in  our  village,  was  completed  in  1871.  Tlie 
granite  base  was  cut  fi'om  a  howlder.    found  on  the  farm  of 


--pSiSkiSaUti- 


UKSIDKXCK    OF    THK    LATE    CECMMiE    KENT. 

I^evi    .1.    Seconilx',    Ks<|.       A   figure  of  a  soldier,    in  laon/.et 
holihng  a    musket,    stands    u})on   tlie   granite    pedestal,   in 


RAMBLES    AROl'T    AMFTKRST. 


20 


which  is  inserted  a  tablet,  bearing  the  names  of  tlioses  en- 
listing from  Amherst  in  the  late  war,  who  lost  their  lives 
defending  the  old  flag.  The  cost  of  this  memorial  was 
•t  4000.  A  gift  for  this  pnrpose  l)y  the  late  Aaron  Tvawrence, 
was  supplemented  by  an  appropriation  from  the  town. 


.4^£^tt3^a2^^s^f:f;5^  - 


mmm?mi'''m!ax,^mi.^ 


RESIDKNCE   OF   THE   LATE   HOX.    H.    EATOX. 

The    Brick    Block,     familiarly  known    as  the   -old 
brick"   was  eivcted   about  1809,  by  Mr.  Joseph  Cushing.  at 


30  I{AMBLE8    ABOUT   AMHKKST. 

that  time  pul)lisherof  the  Farmers'  Cabinet,  wlio  pin-pos- 
ed to  enter  extensively  into  the  printing  and  puhlishino- 
of  books,  and  with  this  end  in  view  he  erected  this  bnihling, 
htng  afterwards  known  as  "Cnshing's  Folly."  He  never 
occupied  it,  for  before  its  completion  he  hastily  removed  to 
Baltimore.  It  has  had  numerous  owners  and  more  numer- 
ous occupants.  The  lower  story  has  usually  been  occupied 
as  stores,  though  originally  the  west  side  as  a  tenement. 
The  upper  ones  have  been  used  for  school-rooms,  tenements. 
l>ook  bindery,  pattern  -  makers  shop,  and  at  one  time  the 
entire  building  as  an  iron  foundry.  It  is  owned  by  the 
heirs  of  the  late  Hon.  Harrison  P^aton,  and  at  present  oc- 
cupied as  a  store,  in  which  is  the  post-office  ;  a  millinery 
store  and  a  barl^er  shop.  It  is  one  of  the  land  marks  of 
Andierst.  Long  may  it  be  spared  from  tempest  or  fire,  a 
link  between  the  })resent  and  the  past. 

Greeley's  Birthplace.  The  spot  where  Horace 
(ireeley  first  saw  the  light  of  day,  is  about  five  miles  nortli- 
easterly  from  Amherst  village,  on  the  first  highway  leading 
to  Bedford.  The  house  stands  as  it  was  originally  built, 
and  is  owned  and  occupied  as  a  farm  house  l)y  Joseph  F. 
Hanson.  James  Parton,  in  writing  of  this  spot  twenty 
years  ago  said : 

"The  farm  owned  l)y  Zaccheus  Greeley  when  his  son 
Horace  was  born,  was  four  or  five  miles  from  the  village  of 
Amherst.  It  consisted  of  eighty  acres  of  land — heavy 
land  to  till— rocky,   moist,   and   uneven,   worth   then  eight 


i;A>ri?LKs  Ar.oiT  a.mhi:i;st.  81 

liuiidfed  (lolhii's,  now  two  thousand.  The  house,  a  small, 
uii[)ainted,  hut  suhstaiitial  and  well-l)uilt  fann-house,  stood 
and  still  stands,  upon  a  ledge  or  platform,  halt"  way  u[)  a 
hiuh,  steep,  and  rocky  hill,  commandhio-  aii  extensive  and 
almost  i)anoraniic  view  of  the  surrounding  country.  In 
whatever  direction  the  hoy  may  have  looked,  he  saw  rock. 
Jvock  is  the  feature  of  the  landscape.  There  is  rock  in  the 
old  orchards  behind  the  old  house  ;  rocks  peep  out  from  the 
gravs  in  the  pastures  :  rock  along  the  road  ;  rock  on  the 
sides  of  the  hills  ;  rock  on  their  summits  :  rock  in  the  vallevs  : 
rock  in  the  woods  ;  rock,  rock,  everywhere  rock.  And  yet 
the  country  has  not  a  barren  look.  I  should  call  it  a  serious 
looking  covuitry  ;  one  that  would  be  congenial  to  grim  cov- 
enanters and  exiled  round-heads.  The  })re vailing  colors 
are  (hxrk,  even  in  the  brightest  months  of  the  year.  The 
})ine  woods,  the  rock,  the  shade  of  the  hill,  the  color  of  the 
soil,  are  all  dark  and  serious.  It  is  a  still  unfrequented 
region.  One  may  ride  along  the  road  upon  which  the 
house  stands,  for  many  a  mile,  without  passing  a  single 
vehicle.  The  turtles  hobble  across  the  road  fearless  of  the 
crushing  wheel.  If  any  one  wished  to  know  the  full  mean- 
ing of  the  word  country,  as  (listinguishe<l  from  the  word 
town,  he  need  do  no  moie  than  ascend  the  hill  on  which 
Horace  Greeley  saw  the  light,  and  look  around.  Such  was 
the  character  of  the  region  in  which  Horace  Greeley  pass- 
ed the  greater  })art  of  the  iirst  seven  years  of  his  life." 

Amherst  Common.      'Hie  large  tract  of  land,  which 
is  neatly  fenced  in.  and  thickly  set  with   shade  trees,    will. 


32 


H AMBLES    ABOUT    A:MHEI;ST. 


in  the  near  futnre,  be  a  place  of  nmch  beauty.  The  in- 
ereased  care  given  to  the  trees  and  soil  recently,  show 
results  in  increased  verdure  and  foliage.  In  the  fall,  the 
maples  take  on  the  hues  of  the  rainbow,  and  make  it  a 
spot  of  rare  brilliancy. 


Bank  Building,    ijesidknck  okChas.  richai;i)S(>x. 

Tliis  Ijuilcbng    was  erected  by   tlie    Hillsborough  Bank  and 
dnriiiL!"   its    slioi't    life   was   used   as  its  bankino-  house,  and 


KAMMLKS    AH«>1    r    AMHKIJST.  88 

residence  of  its  cashier.  It  was  also  used  as  a  hanking-  house 
hy  the  Fanners'  Bank  tVoni  1825  to  1848,  The  vault  or 
safe  remains  at  present,  as  originally  built.  'I'he  luick  foi- 
this  Hue  dwelling  was  made  upon  the  Lord  place,  then 
newly  built  by  Capt.  Kli  l>rown. 

MinGra^l  SprinSli  Located  one  and  one  half  miles 
east  of  the  village  in  a  beautiful  pine  grove,  near  what  was 
once  a  trotting  park,  is  a  spring  widely  noted  for  its  medi- 
cinal properties.  The  water  is  sought  for  by  those  affected 
by  scrofulous  diseases,  and  is  used  as  a  wash  as  well  as 
taken  internally,  with  beneficial  results.  It  is  so  heavy 
with  iron  as  to  discohu-  the  banks  of  the  Inook  into  which 
it  Hows,  for  a  long  distance,  giving  them  a  redish  shade, 
like  iroii  rust.     The  water  is  not  objectionable  to  the  taste. 

In  the  geological  survey  of  the  State  made  seveial  years 
ago,  this  spring  was  the  only  mineral  spring  to  which  at- 
tention was  es})ecially  called  as  possessing  any  very  re- 
markable medicinal  properties.  Dr.  Jackson  and  several 
other  distinguished  chemists  have  also  since  analyzed  its 
waters,  all  witli  the  same  general  results  and  tending  to 
confirm  well  known  facts  in  relation  to  its  value.  A  very 
careful  and  exhaustive  analysis  has  been  made  by  Prof. 
r)abcock,  and  from  it  will  be  seen,  that  the  water  of  this 
spring  exhibits  a  combination  of  rare  curative  agents  seldom 
found  in  it  sj)]-ing  in  such  rich  pro})ortions. 

ANALYSIS  AND  IIESIJLT. 

The  water  contains  in  an  Impeiial  gallon  l').o2  giains  of 


34 


KAMP.LES    AIKH'T    A:MHEHST. 


mineral   and   orofaiiic    matter.     Tliis  (consists  of  the  follow- 
ino-: — 

Carbonate  of  Lime     ....     o.()(>  o-raius. 
Carbonate  of  Iron       ....     1.80       •• 
Carbonate  of  Mao-nesinm    .     .     1.47 
Carl)onate  of  Sodinm      ...         2'S 

Ci-enic  Acid ;-J.S7 

Sulphate  of  Lime !.(>•}        " 

Snl[)liate  of  I^otassium    ....  85        "' 

(Idoride  of  Sodinm 87 

Selicia  and  Ahimnia       ....  09 


'l^'»tal 51.52      " 

Free  Carl)onate  Acid  nndeteiininecL 

.(AMES    F.    HABCOCK. 

Analytical  a)ui  Coti.udtin^i;  C/u-iiiist. 

Picnic  Ground.  ^*"  ^''^*  ^'""^  owned  by  tlie  towji  in 
I'onnection  with  the  farm  at  Amlierst  Station,  is  a  l)eantifnl 
grove  of  pines.  This  grove  has  been  cleared  of  all  under- 
brush, seats,  platform,  cook  honses  and  other  conveniences 
arranged  for  picnicing  parties.  It  is  es[)ecially  well  ada})ted 
for  large  gatherings,  the  grounds  sloi)ing  toward  the  centre, 
forming  a  natural  ami)hitheatre.  Its  proximity  to  tlie  lail- 
roiid  station  enhances  its  othei-  conveniences. 

Congregational  Church.    '^ '^i^  '^  tJie  most  i)romi- 

jient  edifice  that  appears  to  the  eye  as  one  passes  through 
tin-  village.  The  building  was  originally  owned  by  the 
town,  and  was  purchased  by  the  Congregational  Society  in 
1882   wlien    it   was   thoroughly     repaired    and   alterations 


1;Am'i?LKS    AP.OIT    AMHKPvST.  85 

made.  The  t(»\vii  still  ow  lis  the  hell  and  steeple,  and  luive 
riohts  in  the  lower  story.  It  was  for  luiiny  years  the 
only  [)laee  for  puhlic  meeting's  in  town. 

'I'he  tirst  pastor  was  Kev.  Daniel  W'ilkins,  installed  in 
1741.  He  died  in  17(S8.  The  second  pastor  was  Kev. 
Jeremiah  Ivirnard.  he  died  in  lH'->.').  The  third  })astor, 
Kev.  Xathan  Lord,  1).  D.,  was  settled  as  colleagne 
with  Mr.  r.arnard,  Ahiy  'io.  ISKI.  He  was  ealled  to  the 
Presidency  of  Dartmouth  College  in  182S.  The  fourth 
pastor  Rev.  Silas  Aiken,  D.  D.  was  settled  March  4.  1821). 
He  was  ealled  to  the  pastorial  care  t)f  Park  St.  church, 
IJoston,  in  1887.  The  fifth  pastor  Rev.  Frederick  A. 
Adams.  Ph.  D.,  was  settled  Nov.  15,  1887,  and  dismissed 
Sept.  24,  1840.  The  sixth  pastor  was  Kev.  Wm.  T.  Savage, 
1).  I).,  settled  Feb.  24,  1840,  and  dismissed  April,  4,  1848. 
The  seventh  pastor  Kev.  .Josiah  (nirdner  Davis,  1).  1)., 
was  settled  May  22,  1844,  and  dismissed  Jan.  22,  1880. 
The  eighth  jjastor  Kev.  Willis  D.  Leland,  was  settled 
June  22,  1880,  and  dismissed  May  l(i,  1888.  The  [ues- 
ent  pastor,  Kev.  Alfied  J.  McCiown,  was  settled  Dec.  1, 
1885. 

Baptist  Church.  This  house  was  built  about  the 
beginning  of  the  century  by  the  Unitarians,  and  passed  in- 
to the  hands  of  the  Baptist  Society  in  1844.  The  interior 
was  recently  remodelled  and  modernized  and  is  nt)w  quite 
attractive.  This  church  has  had  no  less  than  seventeen 
pastoi-s  within  the  half  century  of  its  existence,  and  is  at 
present  without  a  permanent  su[)[)ly. 


36  RAMBLES    ABOI'T    AMHIRST. 

The  Melhodift  Chapel  was  dedicated  al,out  1828. 
Since  then  nntil  the  present  the  church  has  l)een  chised 
about  one  half  of  the  time.  It  ha-;  had  several  })astors  of 
ability,  and  is  at  present  supplied  ])y  Kev.  Win.  Merrill  of 
iMilford. 

Purgatory  Falls,  ^>i^  Hutchixson's  Guove,  in  Mt. 

Vernon,  is  a  place  of  some  note  and  interest,  and  is  visited 
yearly  by  thousands.  It  is  about  two  miles  south-west  of 
the  village.  It  is  a  deep  ravene,  through  which  flows  a  small 
stream.  The  chief  attractions  are,  the  canal  and  its  outlet, 
the  "Devil's  Bean  Pot,"  in  the  ledge,  and  the  im})rint  of  a 
human  foot  imbedded  in  the  rock,  the  wash  boiler  and  tub, 
a  stocking,  eu])S  and  saucers,  etc.  It  is  a  fine  sight  when 
the  canal  is  nearly  filled  with  water,  to  see  it  rushing  and 
foaming  to  tlie  gulf,  and  then  falling  forty  feet  to  the 
rocks  below.  The  grove  contains  a  doul)le  bowling  ally, 
l)and  stand  and  dancing  floor.  The  annual  basket  picnic 
liere  has  become  an  institution. 

PrOSlDeCt  Hill  ^^^  Mont  Verufui,  is  a  pf)int  much  vis- 
ited by  guests  at  the  summer  boarding  houses,  and  by 
many  others,  every  season,  A  carriage  road  to  the  summit 
makes  the  highest  point  easil}'  accessible.  It  is  best  des- 
cribed by  Prof.  Bancroft,  of  Phillips  Academy  : 

"To  the  south  is  seen  Mt.  Wachusett  in  Princeton,  Mass.  ;  Watatic  in 
Ashby  and  Ashburnham  ;  Barrett,  Kidder  and  Flat  Mts.  in  New  Ipswich  ; 
the  Temple,  Peterboro' and  Lyndeboro'  ranges  throughout  their  whole  ex- 
tent, of  which  Piscataquog  lies  almost  exactly  south-west ;  Crotchet  Mt.  rises 
l)eyond  the  village  of  Francestown,  with    the   symmetrical    cone    of  Lovell's 


n.vMiu.Ks  Ai;(»rT  a.mhkiist.  -IT 

^!t.  still  further  to  the  north.  Kearsaige  is  seen  on  tiie  distant  lioiizon 
ti^warils  the  north,  flanked  right  and  left  hy  the  IJlack  Mts.,  Mission  Kidge, 
the  Mink  Hills  and  Stewart  I'eak.  A  little  east  of  north,  only  a  few  miles 
distant,  the  rounded  summit  of  Joe  Knglish  beetles  towards  the  south. 
Turning  to  the  right,  Koby  Mill,  the  lesser  Oncanoonuc  and  the  greater 
<  )ncanoonuc  are  seen,  and,  far  beyond,  the  chimneys  and  spires  of  Manches- 
ter, Mt.  I'awtuckawa,  Saddle  Hack,  and  McCoy's  in  Nottingham  and  Aliens- 
town.  'I'he  view  to  the  east  and  south-east  is  of  a  wide  expanse  of  rolling 
country,  dotted  with  villages  and  farms,  with  church  .spires  and  the  buildings 
of  the  great  manufactories  of  Nashua  and  Lowell.  At  your  feet  nestles  the 
village  of  Amherst,  and  the  turret  of  Hotel  Ponemah  appears  above  the 
forest  beyond.  In  the  Autumn  mornings,  the  lines  of  fog  mark  the  valleys 
of  the  Merrimack,  the  Nashua  and  the  Souhegan.  Thus  in  three  quadrants 
of  the  horizon  are  noble  mountains,  near  and  far,  solitary  peaks  and  massive 
langes,  while  the  fcurth  quadiant  pitstrts  a  plain,  stretching  as  far  as  the 
eye  can  reach,  diveisified  by  dwellings,  faims,  forests  and  streams. 

Hotel  Ponemah.  'J'lii^  house  is  the  U^adino-  suniiiier 
rejsoit  in  this  vicinity.  It  is  h)cated  at  the  celebiated  Mil- 
hnd  Springs,  about  one  and  one  halt"  miles  from  Miliord 
village,  and  reached  from  Amherst  Station,  by  eoaches  from 
the  hotel,  running-  to  meet  each  tiain.  in  a  pleasant  drive 
of  about  one  mile.  The  health  giving  pro[)erties  of  its 
waters  are  widely  known,  and  the  hotel,  with  its  large 
rooms  and  cheerful  fire  places,  and  broad  piazzas  extending 
entirely  around  the  house,  is  fast  becoming  equally  famous. 
Kiom  the  tower  which  sTirmounts  the  house  an  extensive 
view  of  the  surrounding  country  is  obtained,  and  by  ascend- 
ing "Mount  Pisgah,"  near  the  house,  a  still  greater  exi)anso 
of  country  is  seen.  A  correspondent  of  the  Iloston  I'osT 
writes  as  follows  of  Hotel  Ponemah  and  its  snrroiindinos: — 


o8  RAMBLES    AHfU'T    AMF^F.I;ST. 

"The  charms  of  this  most  deliiihtfully  sittrdted  hotel  are  aheady  well 
known,  its  first  three  seasons  Ijeing  vnider  the  excellent  care  of  Mr.  Cileason 
of  the  Victoria,  and  conducted  last  summer  very  successfully  and  with  well 
nlled  house  by  Mr.  1).  S.  Plummer,  its  present  proprietor.  The  great  height 
()f  land,  the  superb  width  of  view,  the  variety  of  mineral  springs  directly  on 
the  place,  and  the  number  of  interesting  drives  makej  it  a  most  desirable 
summer  resort.  Beautiful  woods  lie  behind  the  hou.se,  where  mountain 
laurel  blooms  abundantly  in  June,  and  the  pLire.  delicious  air  cai.not  fail  to 
improve  health  and  strength.  The  spacious  rooms,  wide  piazzas  and  open 
lire-places  are  attractive  features,  and  when  the  access  of  simply  two  hour> 
from  Boston  is  mentioned  there  seems  little  to  be  added.  A  list  of  mountahis 
to  be  seen  from  Hotel  Ponemah  was  recently  handed  me,  from  which  [ 
quote  verbatim  :  "To  the  north  are  seen  Mt.  Vernon,  Joe  English  in  New 
Boston,  the  Cioffstown  mountain.  Crotchet  mountain  in  P'rancestown,  and 
on  a  clear  day  Mooselauk,  Kearsarge,  Sunapee  and  other  mountains  farther 
north.  ( )n  the  east  may  be  seen  the  Blue  Hills,  running  through  Rochester, 
Barrington  and  Nottingham,  including  C"hocorua,  (Kssipee,  -Saddleback,  Ten- 
criffe,  t'awtuckaway,  and  others,  also  Agamenticus  on  the  borders  of  Maine. 
From  the  elevated  lands  to  the  west  of  the  house,  the  I.yndeborough,  Tem- 
ple and  Cireenfield  mountains  are  visible,  with  lofty  Monadnock  and  the 
range  e.xtending  through  central  Massachusetts." 

The  following  interesting  account  of  the  discovery  of 
Milford  Mineral  S[»rings,  we  take  from  the  Farmers'  Cab- 
inet, of  the  date  of  Decenil)er  oth,  1818.  The  story  is 
corroborated  by  several  similar  at-eounts  published  in  other 
papers  of  about  that  date : — 

Mr.  B  ovist  oil  : 

My  son,  Willie  Sargent,  was  taken  sick  in  February  last  of  a  consump 
tion.and  continued  in  a  gradual  decline  till  the  19th  of  August,  when  lie  dieil. 
C>n  Mrindiiy  the  loth  of  July,  he  fell  alseep  in  the  forenoon,  and  had  a  dream 
or  vision,  in  which  he  saw  a  man  standing  by  a  rock  in  a  piece  of  woodland 
near  my  house,  who  told  him  there  was  a  spring  where  he  stood,  under 
ground,  the  water  of  which  by  drinking,  would  cure  a  consumption  On  the 
next  night  he  again  dreamed  of  seeing  the  man  in  the  same  place,  who  told 
him  as  before  of  the  spring.  And  again  on  the  night  of  the  8th  of  August  he 
the  third  time  had  the  same  vision,  and  the  man  repeated  the  assurance  of 
there  being  a  spring  where  he  stood;  and  of  its  being  a  cure  for  the  consump- 
tion. He  also  said  his  name  was  Gabriel.  He  did  not  tell  my  son  the  water 
would  cuiebini  in  particular,  nor  did  Vv'illie  expect  it  would,  but  said  it  would 
help  others,  aud  was  very  anxious   to  have   it   found.     .Some   persons  dug    at 


RAMI'.LKS    AI'.olT    AMHKKST.  89 

some  (I'lstaiii-e  from  the  rock,  and  found  a  spring  of  water  of  clayey  appear- 
ance, which  would  not  settle  clear,  ete  ,  and  which  has  been  represented  as 
the  spring  described  by  ihi  i/i.iii\  but  my  !<on  sai  1  it  coidd  not  be  in  the  right 
place,  nor  was  the  water  such  as  he  expected  to  lind  it.  He  wished  to  be  car- 
ried to  the  gfound  that  he  might  point  out  the  spot  where  he  was  told  the 
spring  lay.  Accordingly,  on  the  .Monday  following  his  last  dream,  we  carried 
him  on  to  the  ground,  it  being  about  7o  rods  from  my  house,  and  he  readily 
showed  us  the  rock  by  which  the  man  stood,  he  being  well  ac([uaintee  with 
the  place.  He  directed  us  to  dig  by  the  side  of  the  rock,  which  was  done  to 
the  depth  of  7  feet;  but  from  the  appearance  of  the  ground  and  the  extremt- 
dryness  ot  the  season  there  was  not  the  least  indication  of  water,  and  we  gave 
up  the  undertaking.  But  he  was  not  satisfied  and  continued  anxious  about 
it.  till  the  hour  of  his  death,  being  fully  persuaded  such  a  spring  would  be 
foaiul.  After  hi.s  death  I  procured  a  person  acquainted  in  using  the  mineral 
rod,  who,  on  trying  his  instruments,  decided  on  the  very  spot  where  we  had 
before  dug,  as  directed  l)y  my  son,  and  foretold  by  the  man  in  his  dream. 
After  digging  about  three  feet  deeper  than  before,  we  indeed  came  to  a 
spring,  which  flowed  freely,  an'l  on  being  stoned  up  contains  water  several 
feet  deep.  This  water  is  perfectly  clear.  It  has  been  drank  by  a  great  many 
people.  On  .some  it  has  operated  as  an  emetic,  on  others  differently,  and  on 
others  again  it  has  no  sensible  effect.  A  number  ot  invalids  have  resorted 
to  it,  and  in  some  cases  thef  have  thought  tliev  found  relief. 

EBENEZEK  S.\R(;ENr. 

Bedford  Ravine,  (<>•:  Devh/s  pulimt.)    tius  most 

woiidtM'tul  natural  ciu'io.-iitv,  which  attracts  maiiy  visitors 
t'acli  smiiiuer,  is  situated  in  l>e(lford,  and  can  be  reached 
from  Amherst  by  a  drive  of  about  5  miles,  which  takes  one 
by  the  Greeley  house,  oi-,  by  a  moie  circutious  route,  by  wav 
of  "Chestnut  Hills."  It  is  oidy  within  a  few  years  that 
this  strange  freak  of  nature  lias  been  accessible  without  a 
fatiguino-  walk  of  a  mile  or  more.  But  since  the  road-way 
was  completed  by  Mr.  French,  upon  whose  land  this  wonder- 
ful chasm  is  situated,  tliis  place  has  gained  a  much  wider 
i-eiiown.  It  is  doubtless  unparclled  in  this  section  of  New 
Kngland.  A  pen  i)ictu]'e  would  utterly  fail  to  describe 
the  wildness   of   this  spot.      It   has   the   ai)])earaMce    of  an 


40 


KAMBLES    AP.OT'T    A:MHEKST. 


"■untiuisherl  coniei""  of  the  world.  The  time  to  visit 
it  is  in  the  Spri:lL,^  or  after  a  great  storm,  when  the 
brook  th  j.t  course^  tlnouo-h  it  is  tilled  with  water,  and  goe-; 
dHliiiig   a'i!l  foaming  over  the   rocks   and   falling  a  great 


RF.SFDKNCK  OF  Till'.    I.ATK    1'..    I!.   DAVID. 


distiiiicf  to  (lie  gulf  helow.  'iiic  "freaks"  which  lla^■c  hecn 
named,  and  the  imaginative  visitor  can  discover  many  more 
to  which  he   can  ai)jilv  tlw  name  that  most  readily  suggests 


RAMI'.LKS    AP.OIT    AMHKItST.  41 

itself,  and  probably  with  e([ual  a|)[)i'(»})iiatenes.s,  are  these  : 
'I'he  "churn, '"  "bed-rooni,  witli  ehaniber above,"  "elepluint's 
liead."  "Indian  staii'way,"  "•bottomless  })it,"  "fallen  rocks,'' 
"arch,"  "oven,"  "boilint>-  pot,"  "devil's  foot  })rints,"  and  the 
"well."  This  is  a  very  interesting  place  and  no  one  visit- 
ing in  its  vicinitv  should  return  without  seeing  it. 

Barnes'  Falls.  I'^'i^  ^'iH  i^  situated  in  a  secluded 
spot  about  two  miles  above  Wilton,  nine  miles  from  Am- 
herst. It  is  reached  by  a  rough  })athway  Iminching  from 
the  main  road,  leading  over  little  steej)  hills  until  one  sud- 
denly finds  himself  on  the  })lateau  of  the  greater  lull  of 
whicli  these  form  the  stairs.  'J'eams  are  left  here  and  the 
field  to  the  left  traversed  and  the  roar  of  the  trembling  water 
comes  to  the  ear.  Here  we  find  the  fall,  a  stream  which 
has  a  descent  of  about  tifty  feet,  width  of  perluips  twenty 
l)etween  its  l)anks,  upon  which  ferns  cluster  and  shrubs 
bend  and  dip.  It  is  wild,  beautiful  and  comparatively 
little  known. 

The  First  Jail.  Tlmt  King  (ieorge  tlie  Third  had  a 
jail  in  Andierst  is  satisfactorily  established,  and  tliat  it  was 
within  tlie  present  dwelling  of  William  Rhodes,  one-half 
mile  below  the  village,  then  the  residence  of  Col.  Robert 
Reed.  (See  Hilsborough  County  Congress  p.  46.)  That 
it  was  not  very  secure  is  ecpially  evident,  as  the  Court  of 
(Jeneral  Sessions,  C)ctol)er,  1772,  authorized  the  Sheriff  tu 
emjdoy  a  guard  of  four  men  to  prevent  escape  of  prisoners. 
In  177-)  the  place  was  purcliased  by  Joslnia  Atherton.  Es(p 


42 


RAMBLKS    ABOUT    AMHEKST. 


wliicli  limy  accDiiiit  for  tlie  fact  that  lie,  and  otlier  })()liti(-al 
prisoners  from  tliis  c-ountv,  were  inearcei'ated  at  p]xeter 
until  the  coni})leti()n  of  the  new  jail. 


RKSIDKXCK  OF   RKV.   DR.   DAVIS. 


This  ]ihi;'e  is  of  more  than  j»assinn-  interest,  not  onl\" 
hi'cansc  of  its  |)re-;eiit  apitearaiice.  located  as  it  is  under- 
neath the  shadowino-  hraiiehes  of  st'\t'ral  majestie  elms, 
tonvther   ^\■ith    the    fact   of  its  Ikmii!'-  for  so  many  years  the 


l^AMT.LKS    Ar.<n'T    AMHKRST.  48 

residence  of  Dr.  Matthiiis  Spiildiiio-,  l)ut  to  tliis  is  added 
the  interesting-  cirennistanee  that  within  its  walls  were 
held  the  tirst  ineetiniL>-s  of  lienevolent  F^odge  F.  and  A.  M. 
(Ugani/.ed  liere  in  17U7,  and  removed  to  Milford  in  182<). 
Saiiuiel  Dana  was  the  lirst  Worshipful  Master  of  this  hxlge. 

Organizations.  SorHKcjAX  (Jeange,  No.  lO  Patrons 
of  Hus])andiy.  Organized  here  December  5,  LST^J,  with 
sixteen  charter  members,  and  is  now  one  of  the  largest  and 
most  nourishing  (Jranges  in  the  State.  It  holds  its  regular 
meetings  f(»r  (irange  work,  the  discussion  (»f  toi)ics  of  iu- 
terest  tofarmers,  and  literary  exercises,  on  the  Thui-sday  on 
or  preceeding-  the  full  of  the  moon,  and  the  second  Thurs- 
day following, 

Chas.  H.  Phelps  Post,  G.  A.  R.  Was  instituted  here 
July  10th,  1879,  Jose})h  R.  Fay  was  its  first  Commander. 
Meetings  are  held  montldy,  tm  Saturday  evening. 

Tnited  Okdei;  (tf  the  C^oldex  Cuoss.  Instituted  July 
1,  1881,  with  twenty-seven  charter  mend)ers.  A  co-opera- 
tive life  insurance  order,  paying  a  weekly  sick  benefit  and 
pledging  mutual  protection  in  health  and  sickness  to  its 
mendiei-s.  Otticers  elected  semi-annually.  Mendjers  now 
number  seventy-five.  Meets  semi-monthly,  on  Wednesday 
evenino-s. 

Anchor  I>oik;e,  Okdeii  of  ^.gis.  Instituted  Aup-.  20, 
188'J  with  twenty-two  charter  members,  by  Chas.  II.  Robin- 


44  l: AMBLES    ABOUT    AMHKi;8T. 

>oii,  of  Lynn,  Mii.s.s.     A  cooperative  insiu-ance  order.    Meet^ 
semi-monthly,  on  Tuesday  evening. 

('has.  II.  Phelps  Woman's  Relief  Corps,  was  oi- 
uanized  soon  after  the  Post-  For  a  time  the  charter 
\\as  given  up.  It  was  re-organized  Dee.  o,  188lt,  and  is 
now  in  a  flourishing  condition  with  a  large  memhership. 
Its  meetings  are  hekl  semi-monthly,  on  Saturday  evening. 

Town  Library.  Mks.  E.  M.  RuK^HA.^[.  Lllaarian. 
Whatever  Andierst  may  lack  in  social  and  educational  ad- 
N  antages  is  in  a  measure  compensated  hy  a  well  selected, 
and  liberally  patronized  libiaiy.  Under  the  caieful  and  ju- 
dicious supervision  of  Rev.  Di-.  Davis,  who  has  served  for 
ten  years  as  chairman  of  the  Board  of  Trustees,  the  library 
as  a  public  institution  has  yearly  grown  in  popular  favor 
and  patronage.  It  now  comprises  two  thousand  volumes, 
embracing  works  of  history,  poetry,  biography,  fiction,  and 
some  valuable  books  of  reference.  The  library  is  located 
in  the  town  house,  in  a  room  used  in  conjunction  with  the 
Selectmen  for  their  business  meetings.  The  present  quar- 
teis  are  poorly  adapted  for  its  use,  and  it  is  sincerely  hoped 
that  in  the  near  future  some  plan  may  be  devised,  either 
by  the  town,  or  suggested  by  some  philanthropic  disposed 
[)erson,  by  which  the  library  can  have  separate  apartments, 
or,  better  still,  a  building  entirely  devoted  to  its  use.  The 
library  rooms  are  open  to  the  public  twice  each  week,  on 
Saturday  afternoon  and  Thursday  evening. 


KAMr.LES    AI'.OIT    AMHKllST. 


45 


The  followiuo-  extract.  sliowiiiLj  tlie  iiice])ti<>ii  ;ir.(l  o-]ti\vlh 
i»f  this  institution,  is  taken  from  a  late  rep(nt  of  the  lil)rary 
'I'l'ustees  : 

'•March  !>,  lSa9,  at  a  little  o-athering  at  th.e  residence  of 
William  Wetherhee.  Ks(].,  it  was  })ropose(l  that  there  he  a 
society  formed  for  tlie  purpose  of  meeting  together  fiom 
time  to  time  and  purchasing  hooks  to  he  circulated  among 
the  memhers  of  the  society."' 

Such  is  the  modest  record  of  the  movement  out  of  Avhicli 
grew  the  organization  of  the  Amherst  Ijihrary  Association. 
Among  tlie  most  active  of  the  early  members  of  this  Socie- 
ty, we  find  the  names  of  Mrs.  P.  W.  Jones  and  sister  Mrs. 
M.  M.  I'easlee,  Dea.  B.  B.  David,  David  Ste^valt.  I.ucy  W. 
Blunt,  J.  B.  Fay,  C.  B.  I'uttle,  Cathraine  Boylston,  Eliza- 
beth Wilkins,  Dr.  F.  P.  Fitch,  Jonathan  Knight,  all  of  whom 
have  deceased,  Messrs.  Hapgood  and  Abl)ott,  E.  S.  Cutter, 
Esq.,  Wm.  A.  Mack,  John  F.  Whiting,  Maiy  D.  Mooie, 
now  Mrs.  French,  who  have  removed  from  to^^•n  and  a  few 
others  who  are  still  living  to  witness  the  fruits  of  this  praise- 
worthy undertaking. 

The  plan  ripened  into  fruitfulness  by  the  adoption  of  a 
constitution,  and  by-laws,  for  "the  establishing  of  a  miscel- 
laneous Library  of  useful  books."  The  initiation  fee  w'as 
twenty -five  cents  at  first,  with  a  monthl}-  payment  of  ten 
cents.  The  payment  for  membership  was  subsequently  ad- 
vanced to  fifty  cents,  and  some  literary  entertainments  Avere 
provided  by  which  to  enlarge  the  funds  of  the  Association. 
I'he   money  so  raised  wa.s  expended   in  the  purchase  of 


4()  RAMBLES    ATiorT    AMHKKST. 

books  and  tlie  collectoii  was  placed  in  i'liar<»-e  of  some  ine- 
ehanic  or  shopkeeper  in  the  vilhi^-e  whose  place  of  business 
Avas  easy  of  access.  We  notice  the  names  of  Stevens. 
]{ussell.  ]\Ierrill,  Few  and  Walker  as  librarians,  the  office 
involved  continued  care  and  the  compensation  was  small. 
The  })osition  was  not  coveted  and  the  Tvil)rarv  had  a  peri- 
])atetic  life.  The  oro-anization  was  fluctuating  in  its  meni- 
bei'lii])  bv  reason  of  the  inevitable  changes  in  the  commiiu- 
itv  and  at  times  the  Society  was  near  dissolution.  Hut  the 
T^ibrarv  had  alieadv  demonstrated  its  beneficent  uses  and 
and  its  friends  were  roused  to  prevent  its  waste  or  dispei- 
sion. 

In  1<S70  a  s[)ecial  effort  was  made  to  revive  the  Associa- 
tion ;  a  large  achlition  was  made  to  the  membership  :  the  con- 
stitution was  revised  :  the  meml>ership  fee  was  raised  to  one 
(h)llar  and  regular  meetino-s  successfully  instituted.  A 
catalogue  was  pre[)ared  and  printed  containing  427  titles. 
The  year  following  the  Selectmen  granted  the  use  of  the 
])etit  jury  looni  as  a  de})Ository  for  the  Library  and  the 
Executive  Connuittee  employed  Mrs.  E.  ^I.  Burnham  as 
Libiarian.  The  room  was  opened  every  Saturday  P.  M.  foi- 
theacconnnodation  of  its  patrons.  New  books  were  purchas- 
ed, an  additional  book  case,  presented  by  Aliss  Sarah  Law- 
rence, made  the  collection  more  attractive.  The  circnlatioii 
was  very  much  eidarged:  many  volumes  were  loaned  to 
])ersons  not  cniolled  with  the  organization.  Generous  con- 
tributions in  books  were  made  by  Mrs.  ("onant.  Miss  L.  F. 
Jioylston  and  other  friends  of  the  Institution. 


ItAMULKS    A  HI  XT    AMHEKST.  4( 

.  Ill  ^H~^^,  provision  was  made  for  iiicor|).  .atiiig  tlie  Assd- 
fiation  under  the  General  Statutes.  To  meet  the  increasing; 
expenses  the  members  submitted  to  successive  annual  as- 
sessments. Meanwhile  the  Library  was  becoming  more 
widely  known,  and  its  advantages  as  an  auxilliarj  to  the 
system  of  public  instruction  were  generally  recognized. 
A  sentiment  gradually  gained  currency  that  the  books 
shovdd  be  accessible  to  all  classes  of  our  citizens  and  that 
th.-  t;».vn  might  rightfully  bjar  the  expense  of  maintaining 
the  Institution.  .Vccordingly  in  Febuary  1879,  the  Associ- 
ation appointed  a  committee  '"to  see  if  the  town  of  Am- 
herst will  accept  and  maintain  the  Lil)rary  now  held  by  this 
Association  and  fix  on  the  conditions  on  wlii(;h  this  arrange- 
ment shall  be  carried  into  effect." 

An  article  was  inserted  in  the  warranr  for  the  Town 
Meeting,  viz : — ^"To  see  if  the  town  will  vote  to  accept  the 
Library  now  held  by  the  Amherst  Librar}'  Association,  ami 
establish  and  maintain  the  same  hy  suitable  appropriations 
as  a  Public  Library  for  the  use  of  the  citizens  of  Amherst, 
aggreeably  to  the  provisions  of  Chapthr  4H  of  the  (xeneral 
Statutes  of  New  Hampshire. 

The  motion  to  accept  the  Library  prevailed  and  the  Select- 
men in  conjunction  with  the  Superintending  School  Com- 
mittee, were  instructed  to  make  all  necessary  rules  for  the 
use  and  maintenance  of  the  Lil)raiy  The  next  year,  1880, 
the  appropriation  was  iiK^reased  and  the  Library  was  placed 
in  charge  of  a  Board  of  Trustees,  an  arrangement  which 
continues  in  force  to  tliis  day.     In  the  ten  years  now  clos- 


48  t:ami;les  about  A]Mhki;st. 

iiio-,  the  number  of  hooks  has  increased  from  6M()  volumes 
to  1755  volumes,  4  books  being  discarded.  Of  this  large 
addition  719  volumes  have  been  acquired  l>y  purchase  and 
o71  volumes,  more  than  one  third  of  the  enlargement, 
have  been  the  gift  of  friends. 

In  placing  this  sketch  of  the  origin  and  progress  of  the 
Library  in  their  Annual  Report,  the  trustees  are  animated 
by  a  desire  to  keep  alive  the  memory  of  those  who  project- 
ed this  scheme,  and  to  lecognize  gratefully  the  persistent 
zeal  with  which  their  successors  have  cherished  and  ])er- 
fected  the  enterprise.  The  usefulness  of  the  Lil)rarv  is  ac- 
knowledged by  all,  and  the  frequent  generous  donations  of 
f>ooks,  by  M'hich  its  shelves  have  been  enriched,  illustiate 
the  esteem  in  which  it  is  held  by  those  who  love  the  town.'' 


niAPTKU  V. 


SOME    INTERESTING    t)lMVES. 


AMHEKST   MINEIIAE   SPUING   AND   AKOrSX)  THE   rONt). 

The  drives  about  Amherst  are  many  and  beautiful,  each 
"with  its  own  peculiar  feature,  -which  renders  it  delightful. 

The  first,  which  the  stranger  is  usually  taken, 
thougli  not  the  most  beautiful,  is  perhaps  as  full  of  interest 
as  any.  is  to  the  Spring  and  aivinid  the  Pond.  This  road 
to  the  8j)ring  is  level  and  shaded,  lying  through  woods 
until  the  s])ot  is  nearly  reached.  This  Spring  lies  in  a  mead- 
ow, behind  a  small  grove  of  large  pines,  and  is  approached 
by  a  i)ath   crossing  a  field,  in  which  runs  the  nearly  effaced 


50 


HAMHLES   ABOrr   AMHEKST. 


track  of  the  old  raee  course.  This  Spriuo-  is  rit-h  in  iron 
solution,  and  is  reconic'nded  ([uite  extensively  l)y  local  phv 
sieians,  for  irrititioii-!  of  all  sort^,  exc3pt  t^n^^ar.  From 
this  point  the  drive  to  the  pond  is  not  so  prettv,  th  i-.i-^h  a. 
])leasant  glimpse  of  the  mountains  is  obtained.  The  Lake 
itself  is  a  pretty  sheet  of  water  about  two  miles  long  and 
one  wide.  .\s  we  sit  in  a  boat  in  the  middle  of  the  Pond 
and  watcli  the  water  gleaming  and  dimpling  in  the  cool 
l)reeze  and  note  the  long  reflections  of  the  pur[)ling  hilh. 
and  the  glowing  sky,  we  Avonder  if  Elliot  gathered  his  duskv 
audience  about  him  on  these  shore-5  We  wonder  as  we 
listen  to  the  mocking  echo  fling  back  the  bugle  call  into 
the  bugler's  lips,  if  in  those  times  Dame  Echo  sent 
back  a  less  musical  note,  responding  to  the  fierce  war  cries 
and  savage  yells,  or  if  it  gave  a  tender  re{)ly  to  the  song 
of  some  swarthv  lover. 

From  the  Pond,  directly  to  the  village,  the  drive  is  short. 
and  of  no  especial  interest,  except  in  tlie  memory  of  those 
who,  on  some  summer's  day  have  replenished  their  rose  jars 
with  the  spicy  odor  of  old  fashoned  damask  i-oses — the  wa v- 
side  legacy  l)equeathed  the  passer-by,  from  some  old  time 
garden. 

Another  route,  leading  us  around  the  Pond,  is  both  beau- 
tiful and  full  of  interest.  The  first  j)oint,  Cirater  hill,  we 
take  i)leasure  in  foi'  two  I'easons,  its  lovelv  view  of  the  lake 
and  mountains  beyond,  and  l)ecause  here  is  the  reputed  home 
for  a  time,  of  one  of  the  most  gifted  women  of  modern  time. 
Marijarct  Fuller  Ossoli.      It  is  an  old  fashioned  house,  with 


IIAMIJLKS    AIKH'T    AMHKIIST.  51 

a  monstrous  chimney.  One  of  those  wide  mouthed  chim- 
neys that  tells  of  the  cheery  crackling-  of  the  open  tire,  be- 
fore wliich  merry  youngsters  and  happy  oldsters  sat  and 
crack  nuts  and  roast  apples  and  tell  stories.  Why,  one  can 
almost  smell  the  odor  of  the  juicy  fruit  as  it  sputters  and 
sizzles  and  l)ro\vns  l)efore  the  heat.  The  liouse  is  fast  fall- 
ing to  decay  and  before  very  long  another  old  hmdmark 
will  liave  disappeared. 

Skirting  aL)ng  the  sliore  of  the  lake  tlie  road  winds 
pleasantly,  the  sparkling  water  glancing,  now  liere,  now 
there,  through  the  heavy  umbrage  of  the  trees.  We  pass  a 
little  low  house,  set  far  in  from  the  road.  Here  Dr.  Pay- 
son,  an  eminent  divine  and  the  father  of  Mrs  Prentiss  is 
said  to  have  lived  for  a  short  time — a  man  so  beloved  and 
saintly,  as  to  make  it  almost  hallowed  ground.  We  also 
l)ass  the  old  Merrimack  poor  farm,  now  used  as  a  private 
dwelling.  In  this  vicinity  there  are  two  or  three  good  board- 
irig  houses  which  are  filled  during  the  sunnner  months  with 
a  good  class  of  patronage.  We  come  now  out  on  tlie  Man- 
chester road,  follo\\ing  which  we  an-ive  shoi'tly  at  tlie  vil- 
lage. 

OVER   DUNCKLEE   HILL. 

We  use  always  the  village  as  our  centre,  and  the  roads 
leading  away  from  it  as  the  radii  reaching  to  our  desiivd 
points  of  interest,  'i'his  time  the  spoke  of  our  wlieel  chosen, 
is  that  highway  leading  directly  to  Amherst  Station.  Arri\- 
ing  at  this  point,  and  going  a  little  further,  we  come  to  a  fork 


'rl  T!A:NntLKs  about  amhekst. 

ill  the  road.  We  elioose  the  one  leading  to  the  right  and  keej) 
to  the  right.  At  the  next  division  we  find  a  tiny  bridge 
and  hmgli  at  the  ambitious  performance  of  a  minature  Ni- 
agra  and  find  ourselves  at  the  foot  of  the  hill.  It  is  a  hard 
climl)  of  about  a  half  mile  in  length.  When  nearly  at  the 
to[)  there  is  another  disagreement  in  the  highway.  The 
road  parts  company  with  itself,  one  side  leading  to  the 
larare  summer  hotel  — -Hotel  Ponemah,  and  the  Milford 
Springs.  The  turn  of  the  othei'  leading  to  the  sunnnit 
of  Duncklee  Hill.  In  the  various  se.isons  this  hill  abound-; 
with  the  most  beautiful  specimens  of  arbutus,  laurel,  golden 
lod  and  clematis.  Arbutus  and  laurel  especially  are  of 
finer  quality  and  more  abundant  here  than  in  any  other 
l)lace  we  can  recall. 

As  we  come  out  upon  the  o[)en  hill  top,  far  ahead  of  us 
and  around  us  are  the  hills  and  the  mountains.  The  dark 
pine  forest  deepening  the  valley,  seems  to  [)lace  the  moun- 
tains farther  away-  Away  up  here  where  the  air  blows 
flesh  and  sweet,  the  sight  of  the  encircling  mountains,  the 
clear  sunshine  and  peace  make  the  mind  involuntarily  turn 
to  that  other  hill  country  we  have  been  told  about  in  far  off 
Judea,  and  we  think  of  that  encircling  Love,  and  the 
strength  of  it.  Oh,  those  hills,  with  the  dappling  shadows 
of  the  clouds  lifting — shifting — drifting — over  them  I  The 
world  IS  beautiful — (iod  made  it  so,  and  pronounced  it 
'•'good" — why  not  go  out  int(^  the  hills  and  country  sides 
and  look  u[)on  it  and  let  it  grow  into  us  more? 

The    whole   extent  of  Temple,  Peterborough  and  L^-nde- 


IJAMllLKS    AI!«UT  ^A.MHi:i;sT.  .)•> 

lioriT  i!\iioes  lie  directly  before  us  ;  lotlie  left,  Mt.  A\'acluis- 
ett,  in  Princeton  Mass.  \\'attati(',  in  Aslihy,  and  many 
others.  Down  at  our  feet  is  husy  Milford.  ( )ver  l)eyon(l 
the  village  we  can  tiace  the  outline  of  the  Souhe^an,  hut 
we  get  no  ujcaui  of  tlie  water.  Descending  the  hill,  we 
<-onie  directly  into  the  heart  of  the  lively  little  town.  Here 
we  fiiul  all  trades  and  nuiny  of  the  piofessiojis  fairly  well 
re()resented. 

We  ])ass  through  the  village  leaving  the  connnon  to 
■our  left,  and  cross  the  stone  biidge  keeping  to  the  right. 
AlK>ut  a  half  mile  out  of  Milftjid,  we  come  to  a  point  where 
we  may  make  a  choice  of  Mays  back  to  Amherst.  Oue 
the  direct  loute  and  the  new  liighway,  the  other  more  en- 
ticing and  somewhat  longer,  leading  through  a  shady  by- 
way, once  the  travelled  road  between  jNlilfoid  and  Andierst. 
'J'o  follow  this  la-st,  we  turn  to  the  light,  and.  after  crossing 
■one  road,  keep  watch  idong  the  left  for  a  break  iu  the  wall 
where  a  path,  slightly  worn  is  seen.  'J'uruing  iu  liere  we 
\md  ourselves  in  some  one's  broad  ten  acre  lot.  Here  in 
J  tnie  the  ground  blackberry  is  so  closely  mattted  and  thick- 
ly l)lossomed,  it  looks  as  if  a  scurrying  flight  of  snowflakes 
had  fallen  there,  a  little  later,  and  we  find  thick  patches  of 
luscious  wild  strawberries.  Later,  the  grasses  grown  tall. 
sway  in  the  breezes,  their  gleaming  stems  making"  silvery 
billows  of  light  across  to  the  shade  of  the  sweet  apple  tree 
by  the  wall :  wild  flowers  bloom  in  the  track  of  the  old  ditch 
and  here  and  there  black-eyed-Susans  and  meadow  ferns 
mingle  with  the  grasses.       Golden-rod — tiny  golden  elms. 


54  i;  A  MULES   ABOUT   AMHERST. 

it  seeijis — towers  above  tlie  others.  Looking- far  enovig-li  the 
l)h:).ssoiiiing  g-rasses  take  a  pui'ple  tiuge  ;  yonder  they  are 
riper  aiul  yeUowish  :  still  a  hit  farther,  a  strip  of  woods, 
and  l>evoiid,  the  niouiitains.  Out  of  the  tield,  into  the  door- 
yard  of  an  old  de>erted  h :)u-;e.  We  pass  that  and  enter  a 
hjiutiful  woodsy  road,  ne  irly  over-grown  with  grass  and 
low  birches.  The  tree->  on  either  side  touch  the  wheels  and 
the  horse's  hoof^  strike  with  a  soft  "pud — -pud.'' 

It  is  very  stil'.  the  sunlight  glints  through  the  thick 
f(jliag'e,  falling  with  soft  flecks  of  light  on  the  dead  leaves 
and  pine  needles.  We  find  here  that  ghostly  little  flower — • 
the  Indian  pipe.  A  little  further  and  we  strike  the  other 
"old  road"  and  a-;  we  descend  the  hill  we  get  one  of  the 
Huest  views  of  Amherst  yillage,  nestled  into  the  greenery 
of  the  noble  elms.  A  step  or  two  more  and  we  are  beneath 
the  sha.de  of  these  bending  ([ueens  of  the  forest,  bacdv  ;ig';iin 
into  the  village. 

THHOUcm    THE    '•r)l(i\yAV""    AND    OVER  CHESTNUT  HILLS. 

Stai'ting  From  the  village,  wc  follow  the  Manchester  road 
as  far  as  the  bridge,  at  the  foot  of  the  hill,  where  the  road 
branches  to  light  and  left.  Kee})ing  to  the  left  and  straight 
ahead,  we  [)ass  one  or  two  [)oints  of  interest  i.  e.  the  Isaac 
TJrooks  Dodge  homestead  and  the  Jones  [)lace.  The  foini- 
er  is  a  [lerfect  store  house  of  ancient  relics,  valuable  on 
account  of  age  and  the  fui'ore  for  such  things,  and  as  articles 
of   real    historic    worth.       The    Jones   house,   among   other 


i;ami:lks  aijoit  ammkiist.  oo 

tliiiin'-;  (juii'.itly  siivoriiio"  of  "ve  oldcii  ti;n,'."*  coiitiiiiis  an 
iiin  (iiiit  of  the  Governor  Wiiitlirop  furnilinv.  After  leav- 
ing- this  la:i(l'.nirk  baliiii  I  m.  tlie  roid  leuls  tlirougli  shaded 
ways  to  the  foot  of  M  ick's  Hill,  where  there  is  one  of  the 
prettiest  curves,  serving  as  diplouiatie  introduction  to  a 
tedious  clinil)  n[)  tlie  steej)  hill.  At  the  top  is  the  old 
Ma;;k  house.  The  forniar  occupants  are  prominent  citizens 
of  Imvell.  From  here  there  is  a  pleasant  view  of  the  village 
a;id  over  furthe."  ri-;es  the  smoke  from  Nashua  founderies. 
A  few  step?  further  is  the  Secomb  farm,  from  which  wide 
awake  men  have  gone  to  do  their  share  of  the  world's  work. 
Leaving  the  little  district  school  to  our  left,  we  enter  more 
wooded  road,  and  commence  a  gentle  ascent,  and  come 
shortly  upon  a  level  hill  top.  Over  the  crest  of  the  hill 
and  we  enter  what  is  called  the  '"dugway,"  the  wildest, 
prettiest  drive  in  this  vicinity,  except  that  portion  of  the 
Mt.  Vernon  road,  leading  into  Purgatory.  It  is  a  long- 
slope,  broken  continually  by  little  water  sheds.  Here 
stands  the  forest  primeval,  the  young  growth,  tender  vine 
and  fern,  all,  in  the  fresh  green  of  spring,  the  subdued  ver- 
dure of  summer  time,  the  lieavier  coloring  of  autumn, 
mingled  with  the  delicac}*  of  gray  mosses  and  green  cover- 
ed stones.  Even  in  the  barren  winter  season  it  is  lovely, 
for  the  evergreen  hemlocks  and  pines  give  life  and  color 
sufficient.  On  one  side  we  look  down  into  a  narrow  vallev 
and  the  tops  of  large  trees  ai-e  on  a  level  with  the  eye.  A 
sharp  turn  to  the  right  l)rings  us  on  the  valley  road,  along- 
one   side  of  which   runs  the  In-ook,  or,  keeping  straight  on 


^C)  It  AMBLES    AHOUT   AMHEKST. 

\vi'  may  take  another  scramble  ()^'er  Cliestniit  Hills.  Tlie 
(hive  over  the  hill  is  long  and  hard  but  the  air  and  view 
re[)ay  one  foi-  the  effort.  The  vie\\  is  wide  and  varied — 
village,  citv,  lake,  wood,  field  and  monntai  i — even  into 
tlie  State  of  Maine  the  sight  can  reach  —  the  air  of 
Ijracing  and  exliilaiating  qiiality,  is  taken  in  long,  deep 
l)reaths,  and  treasured  in  memory  and  lung,  storehouses  of 
mind  and  matter.  The  descent  of  the  hill  is  necessarily  so 
slowly  made  that  the  pleasure  of  its  height  is  lost  gradually, 
and  the  level  home  drive  has  its  delight  in  meadow  lily 
and  field  beauties,  no  less  refreshing  in  a  less  amlntious  A\ay. 


WALNUT    HILL. 

Walnut  Hill  in  the  north-east  part  of  the  towji  is  wortli 
a  visit.  The  drive  to  it  is  pleasant,  though  in  nc^  way  re- 
markal)le.  But  once  up  on  the  lower  part  of  the  hill,  or  on 
its  sunnnit  one  is  surprised  to  find  a  view  so  wide  and  beau- 
tiful. There  is  a  carriage  road  lunning  through  the  fields 
belonging  to  Messrs.  Whiting  and  Odell,  where  the  cloud 
effects  over  the  valley  of  the  Souhegan  and  the  moun- 
tains beyond  are  very  fine.  The  near  view  is  particularly 
pleasing.  The  proximity  of  the  orchards  and  the  corn 
fields  and  the  partial  height  give  one  a  sense  of  home  pro- 
tection and  coziness,  while  the  eye  travels  abroad  and  takes 
in  the  pleasure  of  the  distance  and  Avanders  back  again  to 
the  farm  houses,  and  the  laden  apple  trees.     There  is  some- 


IIAMIJLKS    AUOIT    AMHKKST.  iU 

tiling-  truly  liuiiuui  about  an  apple  tree.  It  was  so  even  in 
our  lirst  knowledge  of  it  in  the  Garden  of  Kden.  Always 
clustering  in  families,  or  standing  with  individual  ])erson- 
ality  near  the  home — with  low  wide  spreading  hianches  as 
if  for  lovinof  embrace.  In  what  other  tVuit  do  we  feel  the 
same  sense  of  pleasure  or  disa}>pointment  so  keenly  as  in 
testing  an   apple?     It   is   akin  to  our   fancy   toward    new 

friends.    How 1  but  we  digress.     From  the  right  of  the 

road  one  may  leave  his  horse  and  make  a  hard  climb  up  t<i 
the  top  of  the  hill  where  he  will  see  the  jjond  with  its  dark 
fringe  of  pines,  lying  at  his  feet,  the  Uncanoonucs  over- 
topping the  hills  farther  to  the  north,  Jo  English,  and  fol- 
lowing around  to  west  and  south,  the  whole  lange  of  distant 
heights  and  the  wide  valley  with  its  faims  and  villages.  A 
scene  full  of  pastoial  loveliness  and  peaceful  c(  mfoit. 

OVER    PATCH    HILL    AND    THE    COUNTY    IJlillXJE. 

Following  the  Milford  road  to  the  top  of  the  hill  we  tind 
a  road  leading  to  the  right,  where  a  guide  -  post  directs  the 
wayfarer  toward  Lyndeboiough.  That  is  our  jiath.  A 
short  journey  on  this  road  brings  us  to  the  top  of  Patch 
hill.  Pause  here  and  look  back  upon  the  plain,  and  the 
blue  line  of  distant  hills.  This  far  distant,  hazy  line  <»f 
blue,  is  the  nearest  approach  to  a  glimpse  of  the  ocean  we 
have  hereabouts.  Elsewhere  our  height  is  too  great,  or 
we  are  too  near  the  hills  to  get  this  effect  of  a  sea  view.  A 
little  faither  on  the  view  faciny-  the  Lvndeboiouoh  moun- 


'"is  KAMI5LES    ABOUT    A.AIHEHST. 

tiiiis  is  pleivi'it.  'Up  oil  our  right  we  see  "('hristiaii  Hill." 
From  un  there,  this  view  over  theniountain  at  sunset,  re- 
t-alls  Pilgrim's  Progress  and  the  Delectable  mountains.  Jt 
always  seem-i  to  in  that  the  golden  light  over  there  is  more 
liqiiid  than  the  sunset  on  any  other  point.  It  reminds  us 
of  those  ''sti'eets  of  orold," 

A  little  new  Jerusalem 
Like  to  the  one  above. 

I)Ut  in  a  clear  afternoon  the  color  of  rock  and  tree  and  held 
seems  more  vivid — ^the  distance  enhanced  by  the  dark  belt 
of  pines  seems  greater — the  scraps  of  wood  and  open  road 
seem  more  delightful  up  over  Patch  Hill,  making  it  a  })leas- 
anter  drive  than  over  the  higher  one. 

After  passing  the  berry  farm  of  Benj.  Wheeler,  we  enter 
a  pleasant  bit  of  overhanging  wood,  whose  green  twilight  is 
refreshing  in  the  summer  time.  At  the  further  entrance  of 
tins  stri}),  we  cross  a  little  brook  ;  and  right  here  stood  the 
iirst  iron  foundery  erected  in  this  vicinity.  A  portion  of  the 
old  dam  is  yet  to  be  seen.  This  low  white  house  under 
the  great  elms,  was  formerly  the  home  of  a  family  of  Wool- 
sons — grand[)areuts  of  Miss  Constance  Feiiimore  Woolson. 
Tt  was  one  of  this  family,  who  planted  the  big  elms  on  Am- 
herst plain,  though  the  credit  of  having  it  done  belongs  to 
Dr.  S[)aulding.  At  the  second  cross  of  the  roads  is  a  build- 
ing, now  used  as  a  niill,  a  portion  of  which  was  formerly 
the  old  village  scho(jl  house. 

At  the  next  intersection  of  the  i-oads  we  turn  shaiply  to  the 
left  and  sf)on  turn  again  to  the  right.       We  pass  the  lunne- 


RA:MnM:s  ahout  amheust.  59 

stead  iiiid  family  burial  groimd  ot"  the  Hiitcliiiisou  family 
of  musical  cele1)iity.  The  uext  turn  is  to  the  left  and  we 
soDU  arrive  at  the  County  Bridge.  Formerly  the  river  was 
forded  at  this  point,  ('onsidering  how  rocky  its  bed  is,  the 
bridge  must  hive  baen  an  accession  greatly  rejoiced  at  by 
the  nervous  ones.  Crossing  the  railroad  track,  we  find  our- 
selves out  on  a  broad,  level  road,  shaded  the  greater  part  of 
its  length  by  beautiful  elms,  which  gives  it  its  name — 
VAm  street.  This  street  leads  directly  into  Milford  village 
from  the  west.  In  Milford  village  we  leave  the  common 
0:1  our  right,  and  are  once  again  on  the  familiar  road  to 
Amherst. 

Other  drives  there  are  a-;  beautiful  as  these.  Some  that 
others  count  m^re  baautiful — but  these  are  the  first  that 
C3I113  to  mind  and  the  most  frequently  travelled — that  drive 
to  M)nt  Vernon,  coming  into  Mont  Vernon  from  the  north 
and  climbing  Prospect  Hill,  from  which  point  there  is  the 
most  extensive  view  to  be  procured  ;  again,  those  drives 
to  the  Uncanoonuc^-to  the  Pulpit — to  Purgatory — to  New 
Boston — all  beautiful  and  full  of  the  charm  of  variety.  We 
only  mention  those  near  home. 


MONT  VERNON 


"TiiH  HethlehEiTi  at  SauthErn  Nevj  HampshirBi 


[From  an  artitle  in  the  Farmkrs'  Cabink.'I'.  Aug.  22,  1889,] 

Mont  A'eknon.  for  iieaily  forty  years^  past  a  faiuou.s 
summer  resort,  lies  a  little  soutlnvard  from  tlie  territorial 
t;eiitre  of  Hillsborough  county,  being  tbiid  in  the  tier  of 
towns  northwaid  fioni  the  Massachusetts  line.  Jt  is  of) 
miles  fioni  Boston.  28  from  C'oncoidand  lo  from  Manches' 
ter.  The  nearest  laihoad  station  is  Milfoid,  4  1-2  miles, 
with  which  it  is  connected  by  a  stage  line.  Jt  is  emphati- 
cally an  upland  town,  the  larger  part  being  a  lofty  ridge 
between  the  valleys  of  the  south  branch  of  the  Piscataquog 
river  on  the  noith  and  that  of  the  Souhegan  on  the  south. 
I'he  soil  is  lock y,  but  dee[)  and  fertile,  lepaying  caieful 
cultivation.  It  is  well  adapted  to  the  a})ple,  several  thou- 
sand l)arrels  being  the  annual  product  of  its  orchards,  and 
the  winter  apples  giown  heie  have  long  been  noted  as  un- 
excelled for  their  keeping  qualities.  The  annual  crop  of 
blueberiies  gatheied  fiom  its  ];astuies  is  many  hundred 
bushels. 

The  highest  elevation  in  Mont  A^ernon  is  Koby  Hill,  iji 
the  northeast  part  of  the  town  near  Jo's  I'ojul.  other  con- 
spicuous prominences  are  McC'ollonTs  Hill,  on  the  norther- 


(il  RAMBLES    ABOUT    AMHEIIST. 

\y  line  of  the  town,  Beat'h  Mill,  and  near  tlie  village,  east^ 
erly  and  southeasterly,  are  ('anipbeH's  Hill  and  Prospect 
Hill.  Fi'om  the  summit  of  the  latter,  which  is  a  broad  and 
pleasant  plateau,  at  an  altitude  of  100  feet  above  the  village.- 
is  obtained  a  prospect  most  varied  and  magnificent.  An  ex- 
panse of  country  forty  miles  in  every  direction,  is  seen  with 
the  naked  eye.  Hundreds  of  visitors  are  attracted  thithei- 
every  year  to  admire  and  enjoy  the  lands(ia[)e  which  this 
noble  hill  presents  to  view.  Cottages  are  in  process  of 
erection  on  the  hill,  and  doul)tless  in  the  near  future  its 
whole  area  will  be  covered  with  elepvant  structures  for  sum- 
mer  occupancy. 

Mont  Vernon  is  on  an  eminence  nearly  800  feet  above 
mean  tide  water,  with  its  church,  academy  and  a  number 
of  its  elegant  residences  resting  on  the  l)row  of  the  hill 
looking  southward  upon  a  landscape  stretching  40  miles 
away  in  beauty  and  grandeur.  It  has  42  dwellings  built 
mainly  upon  one  street.  Here  is  the  Bellevue  House,  a  fine 
four  story  sructure,  used  as  the  village  hotel,  and  accomo- 
dating 40  summer  guests.  Four  other  large  and  handsome 
boarding  houses  will  convene  130  guests.  These  are  "Con- 
ant  Hall,"  "Prospect  House,"  "'Hillsborough  House,"  and. 
the  "Deanery."  Aside  from  these  are  eight  or  ten  commo- 
dious boarding  houses,  which  with  those  already  noted,  fur- 
nish s[)acious  and  elegant  accommodations  for  300  guests, 
which  is  the  usual  )iumber  from  the  middle  of  July  to  Sept. 

The  village,  though  small,  is  by  common  consent  pro- 
nounced one  of  the  most  beautiful  in  New  Hampshire,  the 
elements  of  which  are  its  well-kept,  shady  streets,  and  the 
are  of  neatness  and  thrift,  not  one  of  its  dwellings  being- 
other  than  in  a  creditable  condition  and  the  grandly  beau- 
tiful prospect  it  commands  in  all  directions.  It  is  often 
remarked  that   ]\Iont  Vernon  is  a  good  place  to  visit  the 


ramblej^  about  amhekst.  62 

seconJ  saason.  The  air  is  leuiarkably  dry  ami  bracing. 
The  best  phyoieiaus  affirm  its  purity  and  liealth-giving 
properties  are  not  to  be  excelled  by  any  place  in  New 
IIam|)shire,  which,  with  the  liberal  provision  for  the  enjo}'- 
nient  and  comfort  of  guests,  induces  the  return  of  many 
year  after  year,  and  it  has  become  known  to  thousands  as 
a  most  delightful  resort  for  seekers  of  health  and  rest. 

It  was  in  1855  that  F.  ().  Kittredge,  then  an  active  and 
enterprising  citizen  and  still  a  summer  resident,  perceiving 
the  advantages  of  the  town  as  a  summer  res<jrt  purchased 
the  old  Ray  tavern  in  the  centre  of  the  village,  where  is 
now  the  beautiful  park,  remodelled  and  enlarged  it  and 
fitting  and  furnishing  it  in  an  elegant  and  tasteful  manner, 
(»pened  it  for  summer  company.  For  13  years  it  was 
thronged  in  the  hot  season.  In  1868  the  proprietor  en- 
larged and  extended  it  to  three  times  its  former  size,  giv- 
ing it  a  height  of  four  stories  and  a  length  of  one  hundred 
and  forty-five  feet  surmounted  by  a  cupola  in  the  centre. 
As  completed  it  was  a  stately  and  beautiful  structure  ;  one 
i)i  the  largest  and  best  appointed  public  houses  in  New 
Hampshire.  April  20,  1872,  it  was  burned  to  the  ground 
by  a  lire  which  commenced  in  the  attic.  Not  being  rebuilt 
its  loss  has  been  a  severe  blow  to  the  prosperity  and 
i^rowth  of  the  villagfe. 

About  two  miles  from  the  village,  near  the  westerly  line, 
is  ''Purgator}'  Falls,"'  a  remarkable  natural  curiosity  much 
frequented  by  excursionists  from  far  and  near. 

Fifty  years  since  the  village  was  a  centre  of  considera- 
ble trade.  Located  on  a  leading  thoroughfare  from  Bos- 
ton to  Vermont  the  tide  of  travel  and  transportation  gave 
it  life  and  stir  and  supported  three  stores  and  three  tav- 
erns. Railway  service  has  made  the  stage  coach  and  six- 
horse  merchandise  wagon   a  tradition.     In  1837  the  build- 


fJ:^  RAMBLES   ABOUT    AMHERST. 

iug  which  .stood  56  years  on  the  easterly  side  of  the  com- 
mon fronting  southward  Avas  removed  westerly  and  entire- 
ly remodelled,  so  as  to  remove  all  semblance  of  the  old 
structure,  though  the  frame  is  the  old  church  of  1781. 

The  Post  office  here  was  established  in  1813.  Piior  to 
tliat  time  letters  for  the  inhabitants  were  distributed  from 
Andierst.  How  is  the  anomally  explained  that  the  legal 
name  of  the  office  is  Mount  Vernon,  and  that  of  the  town 
Mont  Vernon,  is  a  question  often  asked.  It  occurs  in  the 
fact  that  in  1869,  Mr.  Kittredge  owned  and  occupied  the 
grand  summer  liouse  which  Avas  "The  Mount  Vernon 
House."  It  was  desirable  to  him  that  the  jDOst-office,  town 
and  hotel  should  correspond  in  name,  consequently  a  peti- 
tion to  Washington  brought  a  new  name  for  the  post-office. 
The  town  has  never  chosen  to  amend  the  unique  and  melo- 
dious name  it  has  l)orne  well  nigh  a  century. 

The  salul)rity  of  the  breezes  which  fan  Mont  Vernon  is 
attested  to  by  the  fact  which  patient  research  has  ascer- 
tained, that  considerably  over  200  persons,  wdio  were  resi- 
dents of  the  town  in  1820,  or  who  have  since  lived  here 
for  the  term  of  25  years  have  reached  the  age  of  80  years. 

The  church  has  existed  here  109  years,  105  of  which  it 
lias  had  a  settled  ministry.  Mr.  John  Bruce,  from  Marl- 
borough, Mass.,  commenced  preaching  here  in  the  summer 
(»f  1784,  was  ordained  the  following  year,  and  continued 
iiis  labors  until  his  sudden  death  in  1809.  The  present 
])astor,  Rev.  John  Thorpe,  is  the  14th  in  succession  from 
Mr.  Bruce.  The  longest  pastorate  that  has  closed  was  the 
tirst  of  25  years,  and  the  shortest  was  the  last  of  two  years. 

In  former  years  this  town  was  noted  more  than  now  for 
its  distinctive  religious  character.  "Mount  Zion"  it  has 
been  irreverently  called.  The  views  of  the  controling  ma- 
jority in  the  early  history  of  the  Parish  are  shown   by  the 


RAMBLKS    Ar.olT    AMHEItsT.  (54 

lecoid  :  "March  'iotli.  \~\)±  Voted  that  the-  hass  viol  he 
not  i-airied  into  the  ineetiiio-  house  to  he  used  in  time  of 
exercise.'" 

An  act  incorporatin*^'  the  town  ol  JMont  \'ernon  was  eou- 
sumated  hy  the  signaiure  of  (iov.  T.  Gihnan,  Dec.  lo, 
1808.  The  name  of  the  town,  (a  compound  woid  sigiiifv- 
ing- a  mountain  of  ver(hire)  was  suggested  hy  the  verdure 
of  the  farms  wliich  chister  about  the  eminence  ujion  wliicli 
tlie  vilhige  is  h)cate(L 

A  conspicuous  feature  in  Mont  A'ernon  is  its  Academy, 
known  as  McCoUom  Institute.  Nearly  ever}'  autiunn  from 
1830  to  1850,  there  had  been  kept  in  the  village  a  select 
school  usually  taught  by  a  fresh  college  graduate. 

Enterprising  citizens  a[)preciating  the  n)any  elements 
which  marked  the  noble  eminence  as  a  desiraWe  locality  for 
public  education,  associated  together  and  in  June  of  the 
latter  year  obtained  an  act  of  ineorpoiation  for  a  projected 
school,  to  l)e  called  Appleton  Academy.  Eight  citizens  of 
the  town  were  trustees,  and  Dr.  S.  (t.  Dearborn,  now  of 
Nashua,  was  Secretary.  The  first  term  was  taught  in  the 
fall  of  1850,  in  the  hall  now  known  as  the  church  vestry. 
A.S  an  evidence  of  the  high  hopes  cherished  ly  its  founders 
for  its  success,  is  the  fact  they  procured  for  its  fii-st  term  as 
teachers,  two  recent  graduates  from  a  New  England  college, 
one  of  whom  is  iioav  a  most  respectable  New  Hampshire 
lawyer  and  his  assistant  is  a  most  eminent  jjrofessorin  New 
York  city.  In  1858  the  fine  building  it  now  occupies  Mas 
erected,  and  in  one  year  was  free  from  debt.  In  1871,  (leo. 
W.  McCollom  of  New  York,  in  early  life  a  resident  of  Mont 
Vernon,  offered  the  institution  -110,000  in  addition  to  its 
[jermanent  fund  upon  the  accejitance  of  certain  conditions, 
which  being  acceded  to  it  became  ''McCollom  Institute." 
I'he  institution   has    had  an  existence  of  80  years,  during 


t-')0  RAMBLES    ABOUT    A:NrHP:KST. 

wliich  lo  gentlemen  have  held  the  office  f)f  Prinei[)al  and 
a  large  corps  of  assistant  teachers,  1,(500  persons  nave  been 
enrolled  as  students.  The  attendance  has  varied  from  25 
to  125.  Among  its  notable  preceptors  has  been  Hon.  Geo. 
Stevens  of  T^owell,  deceased :  Rev.  Augustus  Berry  of 
I^elham  ;  Principal  C.  F.  P.  B.iicroft  of  Andov^er  ;  Prof. 
AY.  H.  Ray  of  Chicago,  deceased,  and  Prof.  C.  S.  Campbell 
t)f  Derry.  Its  invested  cash  fund  exceeding  -if'l 3,000  is  re- 
spectal)le,  yet  more  would  be  acceptable.  It  has  a  most  val- 
uable and  extensive  apparatus  for  the  illustration  of  phys- 
ical science  and  a  library  of  4200  volumes.  Among  those 
who  have  enjoyed  its  advantages  are  many  who  in  the  learned 
[)rofessions  are  disting'uished  and  in  public  service  honored 
and  hundreds  more  as  really  useful,  often  conspicuous,  who 
are  ready  to  testify  their  attachment  and  gratitude  for  the 
strength  and  help  this  institution  has  given  them  for  the 
conflict  of  life. 

PERSONAL. 

Most  conspicuous  among  the  citizens  of  Mont  Vernon, 
was  Dr.  Daniel  Adams.  He  came  here  from  Massachusetts 
in  1818,  at  the  age  of  40,  thoroughly  educated,  and  was 
engaged  in  the  preparation  of  his  various  publications  and 
in  his  profession  here,  until  he  removed  to  Keene,  in  1846. 
His  various  arithmetics  were  in  very  extensive  use  for 
many  years.  During  his  33  years  residence  in  Mont  Ver- 
non he  wielded  a  controlling-  influence  in  behalf  of  temper- 
ance, education  and  morality.  While  here  he  represented 
the  district  two  yeai-s,  1889  and  1840,  in  the  New  Hamp- 
sliire  Senate. 

Aaron  F.  Sawyer  was  a  very  respectable  lawyer  here  for 
25  years  from  1807,  to  1882,  when  he  removed  to  Nashua. 
He  died   there  in  1846.      He   represented  Mont  Vernon 


RAMBLES   ABOUT    AMHKKST.  OC. 

from  1827-1>,  three  years,  and  was  tlie  oiilv  lawyer  who 
praetised  here  for  any  length  of  time. 

Among  those  who  left  a  record  honoring  the  place  of 
tlieir  birth  may  be  mentioned  the  late  Dr.  William  Trevitt 
of  C'olaml)ns,  Ohio.  Born  in  Mont  Vernon  in  1800.  He 
pi'epared  for  his  profession  in  New  England  and  emigrated 
to  Ohio  at  21,  was  returned  to  the  General  Asseml)ly  of 
( )ljio  at  2(3,  serving  three  terms,  was  some  five  years  phy- 
sician to  the  Ohio  Penitentiary  ;  during  the  entire  Mexi- 
can war  was  a  distinguished  surgeon  of  the  army,  after- 
wards for  four  years  Secretary  of  State  of  Ohio,  U.  S.  Con- 
sul .  to  Valparaiso,  So.  Chili,  and  U.  S.  Minister  to  Peru. 
^  He  died  in  1881,  esteemed  by  all  parties,  and  after  a  very 
active  and  eventful  life. 

George  Wilkins  Kendall,  born  in  Mont  Vernon  in  1809 
and  dying  in  Texas  in  1867.  He  was  a ''poet,  journahst 
and  farmer,"  and  eminent  in  all. 

Oliver  Carleton,  Esq.,  of  Salem,  Mass.,  born  at  Mont 
'Vernon,  in  1801,  died  in  1882.  Educated  at  Dartmouth, 
where  he  was  a  tutor,  was  25  years  Master  of  the  Salem 
Latin  School  and  afterwards  of  a  celeljrated  private  school. 
.Vs  a  chemical  scholar  and  tutor  he  w'as  liardly  equalled  in 
New  England. 

Hon.  Samuel  L.  Sawyer  of  Independence,  Mo.,  oldest 
son  of  Aaron  P.,  was  educated  at  Dartmouth,  studied  law 
with  his  father,  went  west,  and  many  years  since  located 
in  Missouri,  where  he  has  been  a  judge  of  the  Supreme 
Court  and  Representative  in  Congress.  His  younger 
brother,  Hon.  Aaron  W.  Sawyer  of  Nashua,  was  born  in 
1818  and  died  in  1881  ;  was  frequently  a  member  of  the 
Legislature,  was  Mayor  of  Nashua  and  a  Judge  of  the  Su- 
preme Jvulicial  Court.     He  attained  a  high  reputation   as 


f>7  RAMBLES   ABOUT   AMHERST. 

a  lawyer  and  jiirLst.  Late  in  life  he  became  interested  in 
religion  and  preached  the  Gospel  with  zealous  ability. 

Hon.  George  A.  Marden  of  Lowell,  Mass.,  over  twenty 
years  editor  of  the  Lowell  Courier,  and  widely  known  in 
journalism  and  politics,  was  9  }ears  clerk  of  the  Massachu- 
setts House  of  Representatives,  two  years  its  Speaker,  one 
year  a  Senator  and  now  holds  the  position  of  Treasurer 
and  Receiver  General  of  Massachusetts. 

Hon.  George  A.  Bruce  of  Somerville,  Mass..  is  a  Boston 
lawyer  of  assured  reputation  and  lucrative  })ractice  l)otli 
as  counsellor  and  advocate.  He  was  three  years  Mayor  of 
Somerville,  two  years  in  the  Massachusetts  Senate  and  one 
year  its  president,  and  did  he  seek  them  could  easily  attain 
liigher  honors. 

But  space  forbids  mention  of  the  hosts  of  other  sons 
and  daughters  of  the  little  town  who  have  gone  forth  to 
careers  of  active  usefulness  and  now  are  shedding  by  life 
and  character  lustre  upon  the  place  of  their  birth  and  early 
training. 


Is  located  in  the  pleasant  village  of  Mont  A'enion,  N.  H., 
liftv  niih's  from  Boston,  on  an  elevation  a  thonsand  feet 
iilidve  tilt'  level  of  the  sea,  commanding  an  extended  and 
varied  })rospeet.  Its  easy  commiuiieation  with  Boston,  its 
})leasant  walks  and  drives,  and  healthy  location,  render  it 
one  of  the  most  desirable  places  in  New  England  in  whicii 
to  S])eiid  the  snmmer  months. 


CoNANT  Hall,  Mont  Vernon.      [Open  June  to  Nov.] 

Ample  grounds  with  shade  trees  around  house.  Good  stable  and  laun- 
dry.  Visitors  take  the  cars  at  the  Boston  &  Lowell  depot  for  Milford,  N.  H. 
thence  by  stage  to  Mont  Vernon,  four  miles  from  the  station.  Four  daily 
traini  to  and  from  Boston. 

If  desired,  shall  be  happy  to  furnish  reference  from  among  our  numerous 
patr  ons  in  Boston  and  vicinity. 

For  further  information  call  on  Bragg,  Conant  &.  Co.,  i6  Washington  St., 
.V.Conant  &  Co.,  73  Union  St.,   Boston. 


Bellevue     House. 

MONT  VERNON,  N.  H. 

Accoraodates  from  50  to  60,  with  large  airy  rooms. 

(iOOl)    TAHLE    HOAKU. 

Fur E  Air;  ExtEndEd  Vieaa/s, 

G-DDd  Rnadsj  Shady  LJrivESj 

Hunting  and  Fishing- 


Our  piiiicii)al  means  of  advertisiiio-  is  tln'ouo'Ii  onr  pat- 
jous.  and  reiVreiu-es  of  tliis  kind  are   clieerfidly    fnriiislied. 

Tkiims  :     Keuuliii'   V)oai(l  •'^I.OO    per  day  ;  ti'ansieut  I'ates. 
••i'^.OO  prr  day. 


W.  p.  WOODS,     -    Provnetor: 


NEW  BOSTON,  N.  H. 

Open  for  Boarders  from  June  IStli  to  Oct.  1st. 


\'erv  pleasantly  situated  on  high  ground,  eoniniaiiding 
a  lovely  view  :  ten  minutes  walk  t'loni  post-ofHee,  stoves 
and  Whipple  Free  Library,  to  which  all  visitors  have  ac- 
cess, (lood  liouse,  pia/.zas,  bath  room,  shade  trees,  ham- 
mocks, croquet,  lawn-tennis,  etc. ;  piano  and  oigan  ;  sitting 
and  dining  room  apart  from  family.  Near  Uncanoonuc 
Mountains,  Devil's  Pulpit,  Purgatory,  etc.  All  country 
luxuries.     Terms  reasonable.     For  circulars  address, 

Mrs.  S.  I).  Atwood,  New  Boston, 
Hillslioro"  County,  New  FIami)sliire. 

"The  GreeriAvood." 

NEW  BOSTON  N.   II. 

One  of  the  most  desirable  places  for  sunnner  boarding. 
Cliarmingly  located  in  New  Boston,  upper  village,  on  higli 
grouiul,  within  few  minutes  walk  of  post  office,  stores, 
churches,  \Vhij)})le  Free  Library,  etc.  Scenery  unsurpass- 
ed, abundance  of  shade  trees,  piazzas,  lawn-temiis  and  ci-o- 
(|uet  grounds.  Pleasant  walks  and  drives  in  all  directions. 
Reached  by  way  of  Manchester  to  Parker's  Station, 
where  coach  (connects  twice  a  day  with  tiains  from  Boston. 

Miis.  Geoiige  Geeenwooi). 

N'ew  Boston,  N.  H. 


4^•Hotel  Ponemah.^- 

I).  S.   !»Lr.MMKl{.  Pi:o]'rjKTOK. 


The  house  is  handsomely  furnished,  with  latest  modern  improvements.  Its  san- 
itarian is  perfect.  To  those  who  would  add  to  the  tonic  of  mountain  air  and  the 
freedom  of  country  living  the  comforts  and  lu.xuries  of  a  first-class  hotel,  the  Po- 
n  -mah  offers  unrivalled  inducements  for  summer  residence.  A  large  boarding  and 
livery  stable  is  connected  with  the  hotel.  The  grounds  include  about  forty  acres  of 
superb  groves  of  oak,  pine,  maple  and  chestnut  trees,  and  contain  the  celebrated 
I'onemah  and  Milford  Springs. 

Ponemah  water  Ijoltlecl  at  the  spring  is  unequalled  as  a  pure,  healthful,  sparkhng 
table  water,  ar.d  is  furnished  to  guests  free. 

I'lans  of  hotel  may  be  seen  and  rooms  secured  on  application  to  Parnes  & 
Duncklee,  proprietors  of  Hotels  Brunswick  and  Victoria,  Boston,  or  to  C.  A.  Glea- 
>on.  Hotel  Victoria. 

Prices  according  to  location  of  room.     Special  rates  by  the  season  or  week. 

Address  after  June  ist,  I).  S.  PLUMMKR,  Proprietor,  Amherst  Station,  N.  H. 


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UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 

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